Osgood Perkins Misleads Direction on Monkey Business

Editor’s Note: This piece reveals plot details regarding The Monkey.

Essential Highlights

Director Osgood Perkins is adapting The Monkey for film, aiming for a horror-comedy vibe that strays from the original narrative.
The story centers on a malevolent wind-up toy that leads to tragic deaths within a family; its movie interpretation may adopt a comedic horror style.
Perkins likens The Monkey to classic films like Misery and Gremlins, setting it apart from his earlier work, Longlegs, while altering the original tale.

Stephen King has been in the spotlight lately, with his iconic tale Salem’s Lot getting a makeover on HBO Max and a new adaptation trailer dropping in mid-October. Horror enthusiasts have much to anticipate as Osgood Perkins takes the reins of The Monkey, especially following his success with the horror sensation, Longlegs.

Fans of King should be thrilled that one of his most acclaimed short stories is finally being brought to life on the big screen. This adaptation marks the culmination of years waiting for this intense narrative to receive cinematic treatment, making it one of the darkest and eeriest of King’s creations. However, those who cherish the original may have reservations upon viewing Perkins’ first trailer, as the direction seems to diverge from the source material.

Unraveling the Story of The Monkey

A scene from the Stephen King adaptation The Monkey

The essence of The Monkey revolves around a family cursed by a vintage wind-up toy. The narrative kicks off with brothers Peter and Dennis stumbling upon the monkey while exploring the attic of their great-uncle’s home. As the tale unfolds, it is revealed that their father, Hal, was among the earliest to encounter the toy decades earlier, having discovered it within an antique chest bequeathed by his father.

Hal learns that his father, a merchant mariner, also crossed paths with this sinister artifact, which is hinted to have led to the man’s mysterious disappearance. Hal suspects the toy holds a dark curse, and his fears prove justified as a series of unfortunate events cascade upon the family. The chilling premise reveals that each time the toy’s cymbals crash together, someone near its owner meets a tragic fate—humans and pets alike are not spared from its malevolence.

The family grapples with the relentless curse for years, desperately seeking ways to dispose of or destroy the monkey, which cunningly returns to ensnare its owner time and again. Ultimately, Hal’s desperate act to rid the family of this cursed toy leads him to the depths of a local lake, resulting in a haunting closure as nature reacts with a gruesome phenomenon.

The atmosphere of The Monkey is steeped in suspense and embodies the quintessential elements of a horror thriller. Yet, as the film’s premiere approaches in February, Perkins’ vision seems to stray from the ominous tone of King’s original narrative.

A Shift to Horror Comedy?

It seems Perkins envisions a comedic twist for the film starring Theo James, showcasing a style that leans more towards whimsical, slapstick horror rather than traditional terror. Although The Monkey maintains its foundation of a dangerous wind-up toy, its depiction of death and family responses appears more akin to antics seen in sitcoms than to true horror.

Should the trailer prove to be misleading, there remains hope that The Monkey delivers a darker, more serious narrative as professed by Perkins himself.

“It’s gonna feel more like Misery or Creepshow or Gremlins or American Werewolf. It couldn’t be LESS like Longlegs. To me, if you’re gonna make a movie about a toy monkey, you can be serious about it.”

Nonetheless, even considered the creator behind the unsettling Longlegs, Perkins could have adhered closely to the original story’s tone. From his vision in the trailer, it appears he intends to reinterpret the narrative rather than adapt it directly. Unless this is a masterful deception, Perkins seems to be diverging significantly from what many had expected.

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