Stephen King’s ‘The Monkey’: How Osgood Perkins Transformed the Horror Classic into a Dark Comedy

Stephen King’s The Monkey is one of his lesser-known yet chilling short stories, first published in 1980 as part of Skeleton Crew. The story revolves around a cursed, cymbal-banging monkey that inexplicably causes death whenever it plays.

Now, filmmaker Osgood Perkins, known for 2024’s Longlegs and 2015’s The Blackcoat’s Daughter, is reimagining King’s eerie premise into something new: a horror-comedy filled with absurdist humor and stylized carnage.

Produced by horror icon James Wan (The Conjuring, Saw), The Monkey deviates from traditional King adaptations and Perkins’ usual psychological horror. Instead of a slow-burning nightmare, the film embraces unexpected humor, bizarre character dynamics, and exaggerated death sequences reminiscent of Gremlins and Malignant.

But how did Perkins take a terrifying King story and turn it into something that’s equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and blood-soaked horrifying?

The Original Horror Roots of The Monkey

King’s version of The Monkey thrives on supernatural dread and psychological tension. It follows Hal Shelburn, who discovers the toy among his father’s belongings and soon realizes that every time it plays, someone dies. In an effort to break the cycle, he throws the monkey down a well, only for it to resurface decades later, forcing him and his son to face the curse once again.

At its core, King’s The Monkey is a story of inescapable horror—a cursed object with a sinister force capable of unleashing death without warning. The creeping dread and inevitability of the curse make it a chilling example of King’s mastery of supernatural terror. Unlike many modern horror adaptations that blend humor, King’s original story is pure, relentless horror.

So why did Perkins take such a radically different approach?

Osgood Perkins’ Vision: A New Spin on the Classic

When Perkins was approached by James Wan’s Atomic Monster and The Safran Company to adapt The Monkey, he was given a draft of a script that closely followed King’s original story. However, he chose to start from scratch, using the short story only as a foundation.

His version of the story shifts the focus in several ways, from introducing a twin brother dynamic, which was not in King’s original, to blending surreal, absurdist humor with horror. And, reframing the monkey as both terrifying and darkly comical.

Perkins has stated that The Monkey is unlike his previous films, which are known for their quiet, creeping horror. Instead, he describes it as “a blood-soaked thrill ride” with elements of “cartoonish absurdity.”

This shift aligns with the growing popularity of horror-comedy films such as 2023’s M3GAN, 2021’s Malignant, and 2020’s Freaky.

The Spielbergian Influence: Nostalgia and Emotional Depth

What makes The Monkey stand out is its balance of humor and horror without diminishing the fear factor. The film features over-the-top death sequences that unfold like elaborate chain reactions, reminiscent of Final Destination. Its antagonist embraces a comic book-style supervillain persona, and the self-aware tone both leans into and subverts classic horror tropes.

Perkins cites Gremlins, Back to the Future, and Death Becomes Her as key inspirations, creating a nostalgic yet fresh take that merges comedy, horror, and surreal visual storytelling.

Casting and Visuals: A Fresh Aesthetic

Theo James takes on the challenge of playing both Hal and Bill, bringing distinct personalities to the brothers’ complex dynamic. Opposite him, Tatiana Maslany portrays their mother, blending warmth with dark humor, while Elijah Wood plays a quirky, influencer-style stepdad, adding another comedic layer.

Visually, The Monkey departs from Perkins’ previous work, embracing a bold, stylized aesthetic. One of its most striking set pieces is a towering 26-foot throne of televisions, serving as the monkey’s lair, reinforcing the film’s exaggerated, comic-book villain energy. Neon lighting and vintage 1970s lenses add a nostalgic yet heightened quality to the visuals, enhancing the surreal atmosphere.

Final Thoughts: Will The Monkey Redefine Horror-Comedy?

With recent horror-comedy successes proving audiences enjoy genre-bending films, The Monkey has the potential to be one of the most unique King adaptations in years. The real question is whether fans will embrace its tonal shift or find it too radical a departure.

Either way, Perkins’ The Monkey demonstrates that horror can be just as effective when it embraces the absurd—and perhaps even more memorable because of it.

The Monkey is in theaters on February 21, 2025. Will you check out the film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.