Why The Monkey Director Oz Perkins Won’t Make Another Stephen King Movie – SlashFilm

With 65 novels, over 200 brief tales, and over 400 million copies offered, Stephen King is likely one of the most prolific authors in trendy literature. King has dabbled in quite a few genres, together with thriller, science fiction, fantasy, and most notably, horror. A few of his finest books have been dropped at the display screen, and his responses have ranged from endorsing them (and even directing them himself, within the case of “Most Overdrive”) to being deeply important of them, most notably with Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of “The Shining.” Many filmmakers have had the chance to deliver King’s tales to the massive display screen, the newest filmmaker being Oz Perkins, director of “The Monkey,” which relies on the brief story of the identical title initially printed in a November 1980 difficulty of the grownup journal “Gallery” and featured in King’s “Skeleton Crew” brief story assortment, printed in 1985.

Contemporary off of directing “Longlegs,” the largest indie horror movie on the field workplace this decade, Perkins’ sharp filmmaking methods had been on show once more, this time infusing some darkish comedy complementing the horrors twin brothers Hal and Invoice Shelburn (Theo James) expertise all through. In the end, “The Monkey” falls a bit in need of its narrative potential, however Perkins is not slowing down — in reality, he already has his subsequent film lined up. However in relation to his upcoming initiatives, do not count on to see the director adapt one other one in every of King’s tales anytime quickly.

Relating to his filmmaking ambitions, Oz Perkins is raring to depart every movie as its personal definitive, singular, cinematic assertion. Whereas working with Neon, Perkins gave theaters a financially profitable one-two punch of low-price range horror movies in each “Longlegs” and “The Monkey,” placing him in an enviable place for any indie horror filmmaker who values inventive freedom. Fortunately, Perkins is trying to put that freedom to good use, as a result of he appears tired of pursuing a venture that appears like a repeat of his earlier work.

The filmmaker is raring to discover distinct, singular initiatives that may possible stimulate his inventive imaginative and prescient with new challenges. With that in thoughts, within the unlikely occasion that he ever makes a “Longlegs” sequel, it will not be something like the primary movie. That additionally means Perkins is tired of adapting one other Stephen King e-book. This is what he advised Fangoria’s The Kingcast:

“I believe the enjoyable, sort of the true win of the place I am at at present, is I’ve sort of established the rule now that every thing I do is one in every of one. Nothing is gonna be — we’re not going to retread something. So it is like, will there be a ‘Longlegs 2?’ Presupposed to be. Like, everyone desires there to be. It is on the market. Wouldn’t it be like ‘Longlegs 1’? Man, you higher consider that no matter a ‘Longlegs 2’ will likely be, could have nothing to f***ing do with ‘Longlegs 1.’ Like how may it have something to do with ‘Longlegs 1?’ 

So, when it comes to like what sort of is forward and what comes subsequent, I believe the sport that I am engaged in, and I am so lucky to have the chance, is to do one thing actually completely different each time. So, if there was going to be one other King factor, actually, I am unable to think about. It feels so full. It appears like a transfer that we made, we landed the airplane, because it had been, and folks actually dig it, and do not f*** with it. Do not put your head within the tiger’s and lion’s mouth once more. We tried one thing very chancy, as a result of I believe everyone is aware of as quickly as you say the phrases ‘horror’ and ‘comedy’ collectively to individuals within the enterprise, they are saying, ‘I believe not.'”

Whereas Oz Perkins is unlikely to adapt one other Stephen King story anytime quickly, horror followers longing for his subsequent venture is not going to have to attend too lengthy. Neon is about to launch his upcoming movie, “Keeper,” on October 3, 2025. The movie will likely be his second consecutive collaboration with “The Monkey” star Tatiana Maslany. In /Movie’s unique interview with Perkins, the director described his subsequent venture as an “intimate two-hander” between Maslany and Rossif Sutherland.

Stephen King followers wanting ahead to extra movie diversifications of the acclaimed writer’s work are additionally in luck. Mike Flanagan, who beforehand helmed the movie diversifications of King’s novels “Gerald’s Sport” and “Physician Sleep,” directed the upcoming “The Lifetime of Chuck,” which gained the Folks’s Alternative Award on the 2024 Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition. Neon is releasing that film on June 6, 2025. In the meantime, Edgar Wright, the fan-favourite style filmmaker behind trendy classics such because the “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” is bringing a brand new adaptation of “The Operating Man,” starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards, the identical character portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger within the 1987 movie directed by Paul Michael Glaser. Paramount Footage is about to launch this new adaptation on November 7, 2025.

“The Monkey” is now enjoying in theaters.