The Monkey
director Osgood Perkins reveals why he changed Stephen King’s story into a comedy and what the author’s reaction was. Based on King’s 1980 horror short story, the upcoming movie stars Theo James as twin brothers Hal and Bill, following the characters as they experience a series of shocking deaths after they discover their father’s toy monkey. As is revealed in The Monkey‘s trailer, Perkins has added a great deal of dark comedy to the original King story, in addition to an abudance of blood and gore.
In a recent interview with Empire, Perkins breaks down his approach to The Monkey, affirming that his take on the story is very different from the source material. “I took liberties like a motherf–ker,” he says. He reveals that James Wan’s production company, Atomic Monster, optioned the rights to King’s story several years ago, and that they approached him to direct it. Perkins’ found their script to be too dark, however, and he decided to reshape the story using his own unique experiences with death. Check out his explanation below:
They [Atomic Monster] had a very serious script. Very serious. I felt it was too serious, and I told them: ‘This doesn’t work for me. The thing with this toy monkey is that the people around it all die in insane ways. So, I thought: Well, I’m an expert on that.’ Both my parents died in insane, headline-making ways.
I spent a lot of my life recovering from tragedy, feeling quite bad. It all seemed inherently unfair. You personalise the grief: ‘Why is this happening to me?’ But I’m older now and you realise this sнιт happens to everyone. Everyone dies. Sometimes in their sleep, sometimes in truly insane ways, like I experienced. But everyone dies. And I thought maybe the best way to approach that insane notion is with a smile.
“The patron saints of this movie were Richard Donner, John Landis, Robert Zemeckis and [Looney Tunes animator] Chuck Jones. [Zemeckis’] Death Becomes Her was a big [reference] – that kind of cartoonish horror splatter.
As for King’s reaction, Perkins affirms that the author has been very supportive of his new take on the story:
“Stephen King had no notes, and didn’t tell me to change anything. And [Atomic Monster] said, ‘It’s f**king great.’ To my delight, because James Wan does not typically make comedies. I was clear from the start that this wouldn’t be jump scares, it wouldn’t be really dark – it was gonna be heartfelt and redemptive. A good time at the movies.”
Perkins’ father, Anthony, who played Norman Bates in the original Psycho, died as a result of AIDS-related causes in 1992. His mother, Berry Berenson, was aboard the first plane that hit the World Trade Center on 9/11.
What Perkins’ Changes Mean For The Monkey
Why The Film Is In Good Hands
While the full extent of Perkins’ changes won’t be known until The Monkey actually hits theaters next month, the movie seems to be in good hands. Perkins directed Longlegs last summer, a movie that remains one of the standout horror hits of 2024. Longlegs reviews were generally positive from critics, and the film grossed an impressive $126 million at the box office.
The response to The Monkey‘s marketing materials seems to be mostly positive thus far. The comments on the redband trailer, especially, are enthusiastic, praising the footage for just how bonkers it is. The first reactions to The Monkey from an early screening are also unanimously positive from critics, with praise aimed at the mix of violence and humor. The gore and shock value has clearly been ratcheted up to 11 to create a story that seemingly takes place in its own unique reality, and early signs say everything comes together to make for an enjoyable theater experience.
In addition to James, The Monkey cast features Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy, Tatiana Maslany, and Laura Mennell.
Our Take On Perkins’ Changes To The Monkey
The King Adaptation Marks An Interesting Shift For Perkins After Longlegs
King’s original short story is fairly odd, and the concept does seem to lend itself well to comedy. Longlegs was very dark and serious overall, so it will be interesting to see Perkins take The Monkey in such a drastically different direction. If his upcoming film is also a hit, Perkins will be cemented as a major voice in the world of horror.
The Monkey may have elements of comedy, but it won’t be without some level of horror. Pure comedies haven’t been popular in theaters for years now, and having plenty of blood and violence could help Perkins’ latest movie succeed. It remains to be seen how The Monkey fares with audiences, but it’s certainly looking like a worthy follow-up to Longlegs.
Source: Empire
