The upcoming supernatural horror film The Monkey, starring Elijah Wood, has finally wrapped up filming. The details regarding the film, including its plot and star cast, have been disclosed, and it seems like a treat for horror genre fans. What makes the upcoming horror film a highly anticipated one is that it’s based on the 1980 short story by Stephen King. And, of course, the cast members attached to it elevate the hype.
Everything about the upcoming horror film based on Stephen King’s Short Story
The upcoming horror film The Monkey, directed by Osgood Perkins, features an ensemble cast including Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy. Perkins directed and wrote the script, which is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story of the same name. The short story was nominated for a British Fantasy Award for best short story in 1982. It follows the story of two brothers, Peter and Dennis (renamed Bill and Hal in the movie), who find a cymbal-banging monkey toy in the attic. The pair discover their father’s old monkey toy in the attic, starting a chain reaction of gruesome deaths.
The official synopsis of the film reads: “In an attempt to leave the haunting behind, the brothers opt to discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the brothers are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.”
In the upcoming film, the audience will see Theo James portraying the roles of Hal and Bill as adults, along with Christian Convery, who will play young Hal and Bill.
James is prominently known for playing Tobias Eaton in The Divergent Series film trilogy (2014–2016). His appearance in other horror genre films, like Underworld: Awakening (2012) and Underworld: Blood Wars (2016), makes James an ideal actor for the role of the film’s protagonist. Meanwhile, Convery, who is portraying the younger version of James’ character, is a child actor who has appeared in the Netflix fantasy series Sweet Tooth (2021–present)and the comedy horror film Cocaine Bear (2023).
The film’s director, Perkins, is a veteran of the horror genre, as his directorial credits include films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015), I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016), and Gretel & Hansel (2020).
Considering his previous work in the genre, Perkins will likely do justice to King’s short story. The film’s producer, James Wan, also praised Perkins’ directorial vision while claiming The Monkey to be his ‘personal favorite.’ He said, “The Monkey is a personal favorite, with its simple, iconic, and incredibly marketable conceit. And I can’t imagine anyone better than a visionary and lifelong genre fan like Osgood to bring this to life.”
The film’s release date is yet to be announced.
