The Monkey (2025) Explained: Unraveling the Cursed Legacy

Stephen King fans have been buzzing with anticipation for The Monkey (2025) ever since it was announced that horror maestro Osgood Perkins (best known for Longlegs) would be directing and adapting King’s short story of the same name. The result is a darkly comedic horror tale that blends absurd, over-the-top gore with a surprisingly emotional family drama at its center.

In this article, we’ll dive into every aspect of The Monkey: from its major characters and shocking deaths, to its differences from King’s original short story, as well as the deeper meaning behind the chaos and the potential for a sequel or prequel. Let’s wind up the drum-playing toy monkey—if you dare—and unravel its cursed legacy.

**What Is The Monkey (2025) About?**

The Monkey (2025) centers on two estranged twin brothers, Hal and Bill (both played by Theo James in a dual role, with Christian Convery portraying them as children). As youngsters, they discover a cursed toy monkey in their father’s belongings—a drum-playing toy that kills whenever its key is turned or sometimes all on its own. In one early, horrific mishap, Hal tries to use the monkey to kill Bill, but instead causes the death of their mother (Tatiana Maslany).

Traumatized by this tragedy, the two boys eventually throw the monkey down a well and separate. Years later, the toy mysteriously resurfaces, prompting Bill—now consumed by resentment—to lure Hal back to their hometown. While Hal wants to protect those he loves from the monkey’s influence, Bill seizes the chance to use the cursed object for his own revenge. The results are a dizzying escalation of grisly, often darkly comedic, deaths and a final confrontation that forces both brothers to face their shared, haunted past.

Who Are the Key Characters?

Hal Shelburn (Theo James) is guilt-ridden and meek, having accidentally killed his mother with the monkey in childhood. He becomes socially isolated to protect others from its lethal power, especially his teenage son Petey (Colin O’Brien).

Bill Shelburn (Theo James) is Hal’s twin brother, cruel and domineering from childhood, who grows into a bitter adult determined to avenge their mother’s death. He becomes obsessed with the monkey, convinced he can harness its deadly magic to kill Hal.

Petey Shelburn (Colin O’Brien) is Hal’s estranged son, resentful of his father’s absence. He gradually learns the horrifying truth behind Hal’s reclusiveness, forming a new bond with him as they try to survive the monkey’s killing spree.

Lois Shelburn (Tatiana Maslany) is the twins’ mother, whose unexpected death by hemorrhage (or possible supernatural influence) sets in motion the lifelong tension between her sons.

Captain Petey Shelburn (Adam Scott) appears in the film’s opening scenes, desperately trying—and failing—to destroy the monkey. His disappearance is shrouded in mystery.

Ricky (Rohan Campbell) is a local punk who momentarily owns the monkey after buying it at a garage sale. He, too, unwittingly sets the monkey’s devastation in motion when he sells it to Bill.

**Who Dies in The Monkey—and How?**

Death in The Monkey is random, brutal, and frequently played for comedic shock value. Characters often meet their end in cartoonishly violent ways:

Many of the on-screen deaths occur through freak accidents, from kitchen mishaps to decapitations to explosions. Major named fatalities include Hal’s mother Lois, their babysitter, their Uncle Chip, their Aunt Ida, the local punk Ricky, and, ultimately, Bill himself. Each tragic end underscores the film’s central idea that no one can control or bargain with death—it arrives in unexpected and sometimes absurd ways.

While some characters (like Lois) simply collapse from an apparent aneurysm, others die in sensational fashion, such as being impaled or trampled. These gonzo, Final Destination-style kills amplify the film’s darkly humorous tone.

Why Does Hal Keep the Monkey, and Where Is He Taking It?

At the end of the film, Hal chooses not to destroy or abandon the monkey, but instead locks it up and takes it with him. Having tried to discard it many times before—always to have it reappear—Hal believes it’s safer to remain its guardian. If someone else finds the monkey, it might continue its cycle of violent, random deaths.

Hal feels an immense responsibility and believes that vigilance is the only option left. The plan is to keep the monkey under lock and key, away from any curious hands that might wind it up again. Though Hal has no illusions that containing the monkey will be easy, his decision suggests he’s ready to confront his past head-on to protect others—especially his son Petey.

Why Does Bill Want to Kill Hal, and How Does Bill Die?

Bill’s hatred for Hal stems from Lois’s untimely demise. As children, Bill was an unrelenting bully, and Hal once turned the monkey’s key hoping to eliminate Bill—but ended up killing their mother by accident. Upon learning the truth as an adult, Bill channels his grief and rage into a vendetta.

He secures the monkey by hiring Ricky to retrieve it and relentlessly turns its key, hoping to target Hal. The cursed toy, however, “doesn’t take requests,” so Bill’s twisted plan only ends up killing innocent bystanders all around the town. Eventually, Bill and Hal face off in Bill’s booby-trapped hideout. In a fleeting moment of genuine reconciliation, Bill actually helps Hal up from a ledge—but in a cruel cosmic joke, one of Bill’s own traps (involving a bowling ball inscribed with Lois’s name) backfires and decapitates him.

It’s a darkly ironic, bloody final note that affirms The Monkey’s core message: death can’t be harnessed or controlled.

What Happened to Captain Petey Shelburn?

Their father, Captain Petey Shelburn, appears only in the film’s opening scene. He recognizes the monkey’s malevolent power and tries to destroy it with a blowtorch, but fails. He then vanishes from the boys’ lives entirely, prompting some characters (and audiences) to assume he must be dead.

The film never confirms his fate. One theory suggests he intentionally fled to save his sons from the cursed toy—a parallel to Hal’s later attempts at self-isolation to protect his own son. Another theory proposes the monkey eventually caused his death off-screen. Regardless, the father’s absence leaves an emotional void that amplifies Hal and Bill’s tragic upbringing.

**How Does The Monkey (2025) Differ From Stephen King’s Short Story?**

Though based on King’s 1980 short story, the film makes several notable changes:

It reimagines Bill as the central antagonist. In King’s version, Bill leads a rather normal life and isn’t a twin; Hal is the primary focus, and there’s no brotherly revenge plot. The monkey in the story uses cymbals instead of a drum, but because of potential copyright constraints, the film’s monkey “drums” instead. In the original text, Hal ultimately weighs down the monkey with rocks and throws it into a lake, killing a mass of fish and nearly himself in the process—a sharp contrast to the film’s ending, where Hal deliberately holds on to the monkey rather than risk its rediscovery.

These changes infuse the movie with over-the-top comedic kills, a deeply personal feud, and a tone that wavers between slapstick horror and melancholic drama.

What Is the Significance of the Pale Rider at the End?

In the closing moments, Hal and Petey drive out of their decimated hometown and glimpse a pale horse rider—an apparent nod to Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Whether this figure is supernatural or a hallucination is left ambiguous, but the cameo underscores the film’s thesis that death is everywhere and can’t be escaped.

The rider’s silent acknowledgment of Hal suggests they’ve survived this particular nightmare, but the random, unstoppable nature of mortality continues unabated. In the very final scene, another freak accident occurs in the town, reminding viewers that the monkey’s rampage may not be truly contained—and that life is inherently unpredictable.

**Does The Monkey (2025) Set Up a Sequel or a Prequel?**

A sequel could see the monkey falling into someone else’s hands—perhaps stolen or accidentally discovered—kicking off more deadly “accidents” and introducing a fresh group of victims or caretakers. Alternatively, a prequel might delve into Captain Petey Shelburn’s backstory, showing how he acquired the toy and why he felt he needed to flee. Such a film could expand the original mythos, exploring if there are other cursed toys or revealing more about the monkey’s origins.

Given the success of Osgood Perkins’s blend of slapstick gore and dark familial drama, there’s certainly room to continue The Monkey’s story in either direction.

**What Is the Real Meaning of The Monkey?**

Beneath its comedic bloodshed, The Monkey grapples with death as an uncontrollable force. Characters repeatedly attempt to direct or harness the monkey’s powers, only for it to wreak havoc on everyone else. Both Hal and Bill learn that you can’t target or tame death; their tragedies underscore how random and impartial it is.

The film also stresses familial bonds and regret. Bill’s quest for vengeance springs from real grief, and Hal’s self-imposed isolation reflects a paternal instinct taken to an extreme. The toy monkey becomes both a literal and metaphorical source of trauma, turning horror into a cathartic exploration of trauma, guilt, and the tragedy of misunderstanding.

**Where Can You Learn More About The Monkey?**

For additional insights, quizzes, and discussions:

Visit What’s After the Movie, a dedicated movie database and blog offering in-depth analysis.
Check out the official page for The Monkey on What’s After the Movie for a movie summary, quizzes, links to other movie information providers, and more.
Head over to the What’s After the Movie blog for further commentary and fan discussions.

You can also see how The Monkey (2025) is being received on popular sites:

Final Thoughts

From its absurd fatalities to its emotive take on guilt, The Monkey (2025) stands out in the Stephen King adaptation universe. Director Osgood Perkins merges slapstick horror with lingering family drama, leaving viewers laughing, cringing, and pondering deeper questions about trauma and the random nature of life and death.

Whether you’re a die-hard Stephen King fan or a casual horror enthusiast, The Monkey serves up enough mystery, gore, and heart to keep you both entertained and unsettled. Next time you see a wind-up toy, be sure to think twice before turning that key.