The Big Picture
Dev Patel stars in and directs
Monkey Man
, showcasing intense action scenes and a compelling storyline.
Monkey Man almost didn’t make it to theaters due to Netflix’s initial disinterest, but was saved by Jordan Peele’s support.
Inspired by the Hindu monkey god Hanuman, the film follows Patel’s character seeking revenge against corrupt elites in Mumbai.
Dev Patel is a man on a mission of destruction in a new clip from Monkey Man, which he both stars in and directs. In the newly-released clip from the film, which hits theaters on April 5, Patel’s character, the Kid, takes on a squad of thugs in a restaurant kitchen. He uses every weapon at his disposal to brutally take down his foes, including knives, pots and pans, and even an oven door. Then, with his opponents dispatched, he uses a stove to blow the kitchen up in a fiery conflagration.
Monkey Man’s widescreen action almost didn’t make it to the big screen. The film was initially slated to be released by Netflix, which famously disdains theatrical screenings, giving its films only a token release in limited locations before they hit the streamer. However, Jordan Peele was sufficiently impressed with Patel’s directorial debut that his Monkeypaw imprint acquired the film for Universal, and set it for a theatrical release this spring. It doesn’t hurt that this year’s theatrical slate is somewhat anemic, thanks to the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of last year and the lingering effects of the pandemic, leaving Monkey Man with a reasonably clear path to box office success.
What is ‘Monkey Man’ About?
In Monkey Man, Dev Patel plays Kid, an underground pit fighter who wears a gorilla mask to hide his identity as he’s beaten to a pulp by other fighters. Eventually, he’s inspired to avenge his mother’s murder, and the continued oppression of Mumbai’s underclass, by the corrupt elite of the city. Using his pit-honed fighting skills, he works his way through the city’s criminals and their henchmen in an unstoppable rampage of violence. The film is inspired by the legend of Hanuman, a heroic Hindu monkey deity. In addition to Patel, the film also stars District 9’s Sharlto Copley, Hotel Mumbai’s Vipa Sharma and Adithi Kalkunte, Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Sikandar Kher (Aarya), and Makarand Deshpande (RRR).
In addition to writing and starring in Monkey Man, Patel also wrote the script with Paul Angunawela and John Collee. The film was produced by Patel, Peele, Jomon Thomas (The Man Who Knew Infinity), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman), Ian Cooper (Nope), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick), Erica Lee (Silent Night), Christine Haebler (Shut In) and Anjay Nagpal (Greyhound). Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney, and Steven Thibault will executive produce.
Monkey Man will hit theaters on April 5, 2024. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the new clip below.
Monkey Man
A recently released ex-felon living in India struggles to adjust to a world of corporate greed and eroding spiritual values.
Release Date April 4, 2024