Well, this is different.
Despite an action genre that’s been dominated (oversaturated?) with superhero flicks of diminishing returns, moviegoers clearly still have a taste for turn-off-your-brain action.
Look no further than the unmitigated success of the fourth John Wick movie, which came out in March 2023.
That film, despite being the fourth of its kind, was a rousing success by virtually any metric.
Well, critically acclaimed film auteur Jordan Peele may be tapping into that very specific niche of the “lone man enacts revenge in sweet catharsis”-genre with his latest movie.
The key differentiation?
Peele’s latest movie seems to be taking the singular premise of John Wick and throwing a paint can full of Bollywood all over it.
You can watch the trailer, which was released Friday, below:
WARNING: The following movie trailer contains scenes of violence that some viewers may find disturbing
Will you go see this in theaters?
One small ember can burn down everything. #MonkeyManMovie only in theaters April 5. pic.twitter.com/hYO6MwcSev
— Monkey Man (@monkeymanmovie) January 26, 2024
The film appears to be a standard — albeit viscerally well-done — revenge tale, wrapped up in Mumbai trappings.
The eponymous “Monkey Man” appears to be a reference to Hanuman, a Hindu deity in the image of a simian.
For comparison, John Wick (in-movie) is a hitman referred to as Baba Yaga, a boogeyman-type figure from Slavic folklore.
While Peele is the big name attached to the film as a producer, “Monkey Man” will also serve as the directorial debut of Dev Patel.
The 33-year-old Patel will also serve as the lead actor in “Monkey Man.”
The upcoming film does appear to have a more self-deprecating sense of humor than the John Wick movies, which largely keep a more serious tone.
“Monkey Man,” or at least its initial trailer, featured some jokes and quips that one may not find in John Wick.
For example, the Nicki Minaj joke and Patel’s failure to jump through a window have a very different vibe from the more serious overtures and darker humor of John Wick.
Just like a spirit of vengeance that won’t stay down, “Monkey Man” was apparently “saved” by Peele.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Peele was so impressed with the movie when he first screened it, he insisted “Monkey Man” needed a full theatrical release.
Previously, the film was slated to be a Netflix project but is now picked through Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and distributed by Universal.
Social media responses to the new trailer generally seem universally positive.
it looks incredible! #MonkeyManMovie
— Assaf Chriqui (@AssafChriqui) January 26, 2024
Fire 🔥
— ✨ (@AamirsABD) January 26, 2024
“Monkey Man” will hit theaters on April 4.
