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The Monkey (2025 film)

The Monkey is a 2025 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Osgood Perkins.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Monkey is a 2025 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Osgood Perkins. It is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story and stars Theo James as twin brothers whose lives are disrupted by a cursed toy monkey that triggers a series of deadly events. The film was released theatrically in the United States by Neon on February 21, 2025.

Premise

The film follows twin brothers whose childhood is disrupted by a cursed wind-up monkey that seems to cause gruesome deaths. When the toy reappears years later, they must confront its impact on their family and past.

Production

The Monkey was written and directed by Osgood Perkins and produced by James Wan among others. It adapts Stephen King’s short story, which was first published in 1980.

Release

The film premiered in theatrical release in the United States on February 21, 2025, through Neon. Streaming availability followed later in 2025 on services associated with Hulu/Disney branding in available source material.

Reception

Available source material describes the film as receiving generally positive critical reviews. Reported box office totals place its worldwide gross at roughly $68.9 million.

Key facts

  • The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's short story "The Monkey."
  • Theo James plays twin brothers in a dual role.
  • The story centres on a cursed toy monkey associated with random horrific deaths.
  • The film was released theatrically in the United States by Neon on February 21, 2025.
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Canadian context

The film is part of the broader North American horror-release market and may be of interest to Canadian viewers through theatrical, streaming, and Stephen King adaptation coverage, but no specific Canada-only production or release details are established in the provided sources.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Monkey (2025 film) about?
It is about twin brothers whose lives are disrupted by a cursed toy monkey that appears to cause random, gruesome deaths.
Who directed The Monkey?
The film was written and directed by Osgood Perkins.
What is The Monkey based on?
It is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story "The Monkey."
Who stars in the film?
Theo James stars in a dual role, with Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood also appearing.
When was The Monkey released?
It was released theatrically in the United States on February 21, 2025.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkey_(film)
    Supports: Basic film identification, director, cast, source material, U.S. release date, and worldwide gross.
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_monkey
    Supports: Director, genre, release date, runtime, rating, and synopsis.
  3. Hulu — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPxmK_ihDO8
    Supports: Official trailer synopsis, cast, director, and streaming context.
  4. RogerEbert.com — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-monkey-movie-review
    Supports: Plot details and release timing.
  5. Time Out — https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-monkey-2025
    Supports: Director, screenwriter, cast, release timing, and Stephen King adaptation.