The new Stephen King adaptation, The Monkey, has pᴀssed a major box office milestone in less than one week of its release. The horror movie follows twin brothers who possess a cursed monkey linked to a series of strange deaths. Based on the same name as the 1980 short story, it’s the latest King work to get adapted to the big screen. Helming the film is Osgood Perkins, who previously directed the horror movie, Longlegs, which was a major critical and commercial success last year.

According to Box Office Mojo, The Monkey is now crossing $21 million at the global box office. The horror movie is performing very well in the domestic territories, reaching just over $15 million in just a few days of its release. That remaining $6 million comes from international markets, with the United Kingdom ($1.2 million) and Mexico ($990K) being some of the strongest-performing regions.

Why This Box Office Milestone Is Huge For The Monkey

It’s Already On Track To Become A Financial Success

Even though The Monkey didn’t become the no. 1 movie during its debut weekend, the latest box office milestone for the King adaptation is still a big deal. With a budget ranging from around $10 to 11 million dollars, The Monkey is about to hit breakeven in less than one week of its release. This puts the movie on track to quickly become a financial success as it continues its second week in theaters.

With Captain America: Brave New World expected to secure the top spot again for the third week, The Monkey will likely be competing for second place against the new thriller Last Breath, starring Simu Liu and Woody Harrelson. Those chances are possible depending on the traffic at theaters during Oscar weekend. Nevertheless, the horror movie is expected to have a minimal drop in its second week, especially due to the King story, word of mouth, and a relatively quiet February schedule.

On the other hand, The Monkey‘s tracking is good news for Perkins, who quickly emerged as a rising horror auteur. Not long ago, Longlegs became a major box office success, collecting $126 million against a meager $10 million budget. The success of the 2024 movie has likely played a key role in the audience’s interest in The Monkey, with the early box office already showing a similar rate. While it may not hit the same numbers, considering new releases like Mickey 17 and Snow White are right around the corner, it’s another big win for Perkins in just a matter of eight months.

Our Take On The Box Office Milestone For The Monkey

2025 Is A Big Year For King & Osgood

Even though the reviews for The Monkey have been divided, that hasn’t stopped Perkins’ movies from seeing financial success, with Longlegs being a good example. Furthermore, the latest milestone indicates an early big win for movies outside franchises, as studios uphold the mantra of “Survive to 2025.” While it’s tough to predict where the box office will eventually stall, there is no doubt that the movie will become a box-office success due to how quickly it’s recovering its expenses.

Thankfully, The Monkey won’t be the last work ᴀssociated with Osgood or King. The director already has a new movie called Keeper, which will be released in October 2025. On the other hand, Mike Flanagan’s Life of Chuck, based on King’s work, will be in theaters in May 2025. Thus, 2025 may be the year of Osgood and King if the momentum keeps going beyond The Monkey.

Source: Box Office Mojo