Summary
Stephen King fans are in for a treat this month asThe Monkeywill soon be released, which will endeavor to bring the 1980 short story finally to life on the big screen. Ahead of director Oz Perkins' upcoming adaptation,The Monkeyhad to make a big change to its story and that’s all thanks to one popular Pixar movie.
The new comedy/horrormovie is by Osgood Perkins, who many will remember from his 2024 filmLonglegs,which starred a very strange Nicolas Cage as an elusive serial killer as well asMaika Monroe as Lee Harker, an FBI agent assigned to the case.The Monkey’snarrativerevolves around two twin brothers who discover a vintage toy monkey in their attic, but instead of it being cute and entertaining, this particular monkey is at the center of a host of horrifying deaths. As the brothers try to leave the past where it belongs, years later the cursed toy is up to its old tricks again and begins its killing rampage once more. The movie adaptation starsDivergentactor Theo James, who plays both of the twins, along withThe Lord of the Ringsstar Elijah Wood,Black Orphan’s Tatiana Maslany, andSeverance’s Adam Scott.
In an exclusive article byGames Radar, director Osgood Perkins revealed he was told that Disney owned the rights to the original look of the monkey toy that the film originally used, which meant that he had to change the toy from one that clanged cymbals together to beating a drum instead. The reason for this? Well,the monkey toy appeared inToy Story 3, which meant that Disney had a trademark on cinematic depictions of toy monkeys playing cymbals, so it obviously couldn’t be used, especially in a horror movie.
“When I was given the assignment, the producer said, ‘Oh, by the way, Disney owns the cymbals, because of [the toy monkey in] Toy Story,'” Perkins revealed. “So it couldn’t be cymbals. What if it was a drum? It’s one of those things where a limitation becomes an opportunity. If you’re making movies and you’re not up for that adage, then you’re in real trouble!.” Thankfully, Perkins wasn’t put off by the change and, in the end, thought that the monkey banging on a drum was a much better idea anyway, giving it a more sinister touch. “I was like, ‘Hey, that’s awesome. The drum is better.’ The drum is like a marching drum. It’s like, ‘Drum roll, please!’ before something happens. That’s better than cymbals. So thanks, Disney. I prefer it!”
Perkins also explainedwhyThe Monkeyis set in the 90s, rather than any other decade. Initially, the director wanted the movie to be set in the 80s because it “felt very Stephen King” to him, but he then changed it due toStranger Thingsgetting in on the idea beforehand.The Monkeyalso saw some other challenges as itspromo trailer was rejected by numerous TV networksdue to “excessive violence”.
