Best-selling author Stephen King, whose spine-chilling tales have inspired numerous film and TV adaptations, has just given his stamp of approval to an upcoming horror flick he’s labelled as ‘b*****t insane’.
King, who has become a trusted authority on all things horror, recently recommended the 2024 hit Late Night with the Devil, which boasts a near-perfect critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and counts pop sensation Ariana Grande among its fans.
Now, the acclaimed author has taken to social media to endorse another film, The Monkey, in a post that read: “You’ve never seen anything like The Monkey. It’s b*****t insane. As someone who has indulged in b*********y from time to time, I say that with admiration.”
Fans were quick to react to King’s colourful review, with one saying they had watched The Monkey trailer “15 or 16 times already”, while another reminded everyone that King famously disliked The Shining. “Never forget he [King] hated The Shining hahaha,” the film buff joked.
One fan expressed their anticipation for the film, stating it was “possibly my most anticipated film of 2025,” while another commented: “His endorsement means nothing at this point but this one does look pretty damn good.”
The Monkey is based on King’s 1980 short story of the same name and is being brought to the big screen by producer James Wan, known for The Conjuring and Saw, with Longlegs director Osgood Perkins serving as writer and director.
The Monkey’s official synopsis teases: “When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.”
The upcoming horror flick boasts an impressive ensemble with stars including Theo James, known for The Gentleman, Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black and Elijah Wood of Lord of the Rings fame gracing the screen. UK and US audiences can mark their calendars for its release on February 21, reports the Mirror.
With the premiere still some weeks away, early reviews have already started creating a buzz. One viewer penned: “We hit peak cinema with #TheMonkey! A f***** up, sadistic, chaotic bloodbath of fun.” Meanwhile another gushed: “The Monkey is going to be one of those horror movies I watch over and over for the rest of my life.”
The Monkey is released in cinemas on February 21