'The Monkey' Interview: Director Osgood Perkins and Theo James

Moviefone speaks with filmmaker Osgood Perkins and Theo James about 'The Monkey'. "I wanted to conjure the feeling I get from Stephen King," Perkins said.

(L to R) Theo James and director Osgood Perkins talk 'The Monkey'.

Opening in theaters on February 21st is ‘The Monkey’, which is based on the short story by Stephen King and was written and directed by Osgood Perkins (‘Longlegs’).

The film stars Theo James (‘The Gentlemen’), Christian Convery (‘Sweet Tooth’), Tatiana Maslany (‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’), Elijah Wood (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’), Colin O’Brien (‘Wonka’), and Adam Scott (‘Madame Web’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director Osgood Perkins and Theo James about their work on ‘The Monkey’, developing the adaptation, adding humor to the screenplay, James’ approach to his dual roles, and working with young actor Christian Convery.

Related Article: Director Osgood Perkins and Maika Monroe Talk Horror-Thriller 'Longlegs'

(L to R) Theo James and director Osgood Perkins on the set of 'The Monkey'. Photo: Neon.

Moviefone: To begin with, Osgood, can you talk about the challenges of adapting a Stephen King story for the big screen and your choice to add humor and levity to the film?

Osgood Perkins: When I was given the privilege, because that's what it is, to work off his vibration, never mind trying to copy a story or be faithful or something like that. But just trying to be aligned with such a titan of creativity and such a pillar of culture was just this amazing opportunity. More than adapting the specific story, I wanted to conjure the feeling I get from Stephen King or what my indelible impressions are. I always found his stuff to be so fun, sort of playful, smart, musical, melancholic and about families, fathers, children, life and death, and sort of much more than just a bunch of monsters or a bunch of killers. So, I wanted to bring the comedic, the joy, the entertainment value to the front.

Theo James in 'The Monkey'. Photo: Neon.

MF: Theo, can you talk about the challenges of playing dual roles and your specific approach to playing both Hal and Bill?

Theo James: I mean, it is a gift really. Actors like to see more of themselves, because they're essentially egotists, but these were two very different characters who the core of them is endemically different. To start from that arena, you can make bold choices. So, with Hal, he's a very internal person. He's a shaken, downbeat kind of 80s Tom Hanks. As a result, his body language, his posture is more stooped, he's more questioning with his gaze, and he's not sure of himself. He stutters over words. With Bill, it's the opposite of that. He's maniacal, he's ego led, but he's essentially a child in a man's body who's looking desperately for love. All that brings itself to a level of toxicity and madness, which with someone like Oz, you feel comfortable to try stuff. Some of it works and some of it doesn't. But at least in that space you can find little pieces that are interesting that might not have been there otherwise.

A scene from 'The Monkey'. Photo: Neon.

MF: Finally, Theo, since the story is told in two different timelines, did you work with young actor Christian Convery to make sure that both of your performances of Hal and Bill matched?

TJ: Not really in a way, because I think you need to let Christian interpret the character in his own way and do his thing. I need the room to interpret my characters in the same way and not be hampered by certain things. We decided early on we didn't want to get into a realm of prosthetics or a particular kind of makeup or the way they looked or vocal or body language tics. So, we weren't hampered by that. In a way it was nice to just let each other do our thing. But the person who's guiding the ship is obviously Oz, so he can make sure that we are on the right page, but also with children and adults, there's a huge evolution that happens between them. So, we didn't need to worry too much about that.

The Monkey

"Everybody dies. And that's fucked up."

R1 hr 38 minFeb 21st, 2025

Showtimes & Tickets

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... Read the Plot

What is the plot of ‘The Monkey’?

After stumbling upon their father's vintage toy monkey in the attic, twin brothers Hal and Bill (Christian Convery) witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them. To leave the haunting behind, the brothers discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the adult brothers (Theo James) are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.