Both funny and gory: what the horror movie The Monkey, based on Stephen King's short story, is about

One of Stephen King's little-known but no less eerie work The Monkey, is getting its own film adaptation too. The short story of the same name, published in 1980, tells about brothers who find a toy monkey with cymbals in the attic. Every time the monkey strikes the cymbals, one of their loved ones dies.

Films adapted from King's works continue to be very popular, and The Monkey promises to be another successful project.

The movie directed by Oz Perkins, will be full of bloody and tense scenes, judging by the trailers. They also reveal the backstory: brothers Hal and Bill found this toy as children and tried to get rid of it, but the monkey returned, forcing them to unite again to stop the evil.

The film is scheduled to premiere on February 21, 2025. The winter release may indicate that the film is not positioned as a summer blockbuster, unlike some previous King adaptations.

The film features Theo James, who is playing twin brothers Hal and Bill. The cast also includes Elijah Wood and Tatiana Maslany, known for the TV series She-Hulk. Stephen King's cameo is expected too.

The seemingly simple plot is revealed through the complex relationship between the brothers and elements of supernatural horror. The conflict between the brothers is the central theme of the story. Theo James's character, Hal, must find a common ground with Bill in order to confront the evil that the monkey brings. This struggle not only with the supernatural, but also with inner demons and family issues adds depth to the plot.

The first teaser trailer, released in August 2024, created an atmosphere of tension and fear by showing a creepy monkey with distorted music. The second, longer trailer, shown in October 2024, contained more gory scenes and hints of gruesome deaths. Both trailers emphasize the unique style of director Oz Perkins.

The recent trailer, released in January 2025, revealed the plot in more detail, explaining that the brothers had already encountered this toy as children and tried to destroy it. The monkey's return forces them to confront the nightmare again.

The Monkey promises to be another successful adaptation of Stephen King's work, combining elements of horror, drama and psychological thriller.

Film critics have already watched the movie and decided on their reviews, CinemaBlend notes. They emphasize two key elements of the movie: its gore and humor.

They have called the film one of the funniest horror films in Stephen King's career. Famous reviewer Eric Eisenberg noted that humor plays a big role in the film, although the horror scenes are incredibly bloody.

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