Osgood Perkins’ ‘The Monkey’ Promises Gory, Absurdist Horror Comedy

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Director Osgood Perkins, fresh off the success of his 2024 occult horror hit ‘Longlegs,’ is set to shock audiences again with his upcoming film ‘The Monkey,’ a loose adaptation of a Stephen King story. The film, described as a morbidly surreal horror comedy, features death-by-toy-ape and promises to be ‘seriously gory.’

‘If you’re going for comedy then you’re going for extremes. Not subtlety,’ Perkins told Empire magazine. ‘We are guilty of putting far more blood in our human bodies than is really in a human body. When someone explodes in this movie — and a couple of people do — there’s a lot of mess.’

Perkins, known for his ability to blend horror with unexpected tonal shifts, described ‘The Monkey’ as a film that embraces the absurdity and randomness of death. ‘All the death set-pieces were hard to do,’ he said. ‘They all have a Rube Goldbergian connectivity — this happens, then this happens, then this happens…’

The director emphasized that ‘The Monkey’ will be a stark departure from the eerie, atmospheric tone of ‘Longlegs.’ ‘I honestly feel fucking great about [how different ‘The Monkey’ is from ‘Longlegs’],’ Perkins said. ‘I can’t think of another morbidly surreal horror comedy that’s also heartwarming and redemptive and stars a bona-fide movie hunk.’

Perkins’ latest project aims to push boundaries, combining dark humor with over-the-top gore. ‘That’s the best news I can offer to people who liked ‘Longlegs’ — we make all kinds. Why would anyone want to be fed the same meal every day?’ he added.

‘The Monkey’ is set to hit UK cinemas on February 21, 2025. Fans of Perkins’ work can expect a wild, unpredictable ride that defies genre conventions.