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Horror film

The Monkey (2025): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending

The Monkey (2025) movie poster

The Monkey is a 2025 horror film directed by Oz Perkins, starring Colin O'Brien as Petey, Tatiana Maslany and Christian Convery. It is partly based on Skeleton Crew by Stephen King. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes and earned $68.9 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. Critics gave it 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10.

IMDb rating
5.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
77%
worldwide gross
$68.9M
Echo Score
69
The Monkey (2025) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Oz Perkins
Genre
Horror
Original language
English
Budget
$10M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Monkey About?

The premise of The Monkey without spoilers, adapted from Skeleton Crew by Stephen King. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

After discovering a peculiar wind-up monkey, twin brothers experience a tragic series of events that devastate their family. Years later, the toy reappears and initiates a fresh wave of killings, forcing the now-estranged brothers to face the dark history and curse surrounding it. Based on the Stephen King short story.

The Monkey Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • gruesome deaths
  • toy monkey
  • evil toy
  • twin brothers
  • toy
  • monkey
  • dark comedy
  • animal in title
  • brother tries to kill his brother
  • twin brother twin brother relationship
  • mother son relationship
  • two word title
+38 more
  • animal as title
  • electrocution
  • father son relationship
  • brother brother relationship
  • splatter horror
  • flashback
  • shop
  • well
  • blood
  • head on fire
  • fire
  • priest
  • coffin
  • loss of mother
  • airplane crash
  • funeral
  • same actor playing two characters
  • death
  • blood spatter
  • blood splatter
  • based on short story
  • accidental death
  • trap
  • cemetery
  • wind up monkey and drum toy
  • gore
  • graphic violence
  • based on the works of stephen king
  • f word
  • grindhouse film
  • ice cream
  • kiss
  • booby traps
  • anurism
  • bride killed on her wedding day
  • babysitter
  • electrocuted in a swimming pool
  • maine
Cast & crew

The Monkey Cast & Characters

Colin O'Brien leads the cast as Petey, with Tatiana Maslany as Lois and Christian Convery as Young Hal, Young Bill. Directed by Oz Perkins; 19 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Monkey

· 15 more
Ratings

The Monkey Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Monkey 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.9/10. Our Echo Score gives it 69/100, strongest in art & craft (80) and weakest in story & flow (50).

69 /100

The Monkey Echo Score Breakdown

In overall terms, The Monkey presents a striking visual and tonal approach but struggles to deliver narrative cohesion. Its blend of gruesome set pieces and dark humor engages audiences through memorable kills and playful atmosphere, yet the underlying plot frequently feels uneven and underdeveloped. The film’s characters provide occasional emotional resonance, though depth varies widely. With its bold stylistic choices balanced against its narrative shortcomings, The Monkey leaves a lasting visual impression despite mixed story execution.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 80

    In terms of art and craft, The Monkey consistently impresses with its deliberate visual composition and confident direction. Reviews highlight the desaturated palette and polished staging of each violent set piece, while editing effectively balances suspense and dark comedy. Cinematography frequently frames the titular toy in unsettling detail, enhancing its presence. Overall, the film’s stylistic design remains a key asset.

  • Character & Emotion 65

    When it comes to character and emotion, The Monkey offers sporadic moments of genuine feeling but generally underdeveloped figures. Observers note occasional authenticity in sibling dynamics and a standout performance that brings spark to key scenes. However, character depth and relational complexity often take a back seat to spectacle. In sum, emotional engagement remains uneven throughout.

  • Story & Flow 50

    In terms of story and flow, The Monkey alternates between inventive set pieces and narrative inconsistency. The pacing accelerates during its grotesque, Rube Goldberg–style deaths but stalls amid underwritten plot threads. Critics describe a thinly structured script with predictable archetypes and an uneven thematic focus. Consequently, the storyline’s originality and coherence fall short of its stylistic ambition.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    When considering sensory experience, The Monkey excels with its robust sound design and dynamic score. Observers praise the soundtrack’s tension-building cues and the crisp layering of sound effects during violent sequences. Visually, each kill sequence is framed with careful precision, supported by cohesive production design that underscores the film’s surreal tone. Overall, the sensory elements deliver a memorable atmosphere.

  • Rewatch Factor 70

    Regarding rewatch factor, The Monkey offers moments that invite repeat viewings but lacks consistent depth to sustain long-term appeal. Its dark humor and inventive kills provide enjoyable highlights, and the playful tone encourages a second look for genre enthusiasts. Yet intermittent narrative gaps and character development issues may diminish enthusiasm over time. Overall, its replay value remains moderate.

Plot

The Monkey Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in The Monkey from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1999, Petey Shelburn finds himself on a mission to return and destroy a mysterious drum-playing toy monkey he discovered at an antiques shop. However, his attempts are thwarted when the monkey springs to life and inadvertently triggers a chain of chaotic events, resulting in the gruesome demise of the shop owner, who is fatally impaled by a harpoon gun. Following this tragic incident, Petey vanishes, leaving his wife, Lois, to take care of their identical twin sons, Hal and Bill.

Full summary

The whole story of The Monkey, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Box office

The Monkey Box Office & Budget

The Monkey grossed $68.9 million worldwide on a $10 million budget, 6.9 times what it cost. $39.7 million came from the US and Canada and $29.1 million (42%) from the rest of the world.

2025 box office

Worldwide gross

$68.9M

6.9× its budget

US & Canada
$39.7M
International
$29.1M
Budget
$10M
US & Canada 58% Rest of the world 42%
Videos

The Monkey Trailers & Videos

23 videos: 1 trailer, 10 teasers, 7 clips, 4 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.

All 23 videos
Official Redband Trailer
  • Teaser In Theaters February 21, 2025
  • Teaser Official Redband Teaser
  • Teaser Don't Leave it to Chance
  • Teaser Worst Nightmare
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Monkey?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What year does the story begin when Petey tries to destroy the monkey?

Cars

Cars in The Monkey

10 cars on screen, including the 1992 Mercury Sable and the 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.

All 10 cars
  • 1992 Mercury Sable in The Monkey 1992 Mercury Sable Important role
  • 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria in The Monkey 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria Minor role
  • Freightliner FS-65 in The Monkey Freightliner FS-65 Minor role
  • 1991 Plymouth Voyager in The Monkey 1991 Plymouth Voyager Minor role
Details

The Monkey Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Meymun” and “O Macaco”.

Also known as
  • Meymun
  • O Macaco
  • 더 몽키
  • Le Singe
  • Con Khỉ
  • จ๋อจัดตาย
  • Мавпа
  • El mono
  • 史蒂芬金之猴子
  • Małpa
  • Обезьяна
  • הקוף
+8 more
  • Opice
  • Majmun
  • Opica
  • A Majom
  • Beždžionė
  • Pärdik
  • Маймуната
  • 猴

Seen The Monkey?

FAQ

The Monkey FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of The Monkey, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Monkey?

The Monkey runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was The Monkey released?

The Monkey was released on February 21, 2025.

Who directed The Monkey?

The Monkey was directed by Oz Perkins.

More films by Oz Perkins

Who is in the cast of The Monkey?

The Monkey stars Colin O'Brien as Petey, Tatiana Maslany as Lois and Christian Convery as Young Hal, Young Bill, among 19 credited actors.

How much did The Monkey make at the box office?

The Monkey grossed $68.9 million worldwide ($39.7 million domestic, $29.1 million international) on a budget of $10 million.

How is The Monkey rated?

The Monkey has 5.9/10 on IMDb, 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62 on Metacritic and 60% on TMDB.

Is The Monkey based on a book?

Yes. The Monkey is partly adapted from Skeleton Crew by Stephen King.

Does The Monkey have a post-credit scene?

No. The Monkey has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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