Jordan Peele Just Dropped the First Trailer for Dev Patel's Directorial Debut 'Monkey Man'

Dev Patel's Directorial Debut

Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man, has a new trailer, a new release date, and a new studio home. Originally set to be released via Netflix, the Mumbai-set action thriller will now have a theatrical release on April 5, via Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw (appropriately enough) and Universal. In the new trailer, Patel stars as Kid, an impoverished young man who ekes out a living as a gorilla-masked underground fighter. However, inspired by the mythical monkey god, he takes on the criminal elite of Mumbai with his wits and his fists. Wild action ensues, although he quickly learns that some windows don't break quite as easily as they do for Tom Cruise in the movies.

Monkey Man's April 5 release is a boon to theaters, who will be low on films this year thanks to the ripple effect of last year's dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Monkey Man will compete with the similarly simian-themed Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which will bow the week before, and cross swords with the horror prequel The First Omen, which shares its release date. Alex Garland's Civil War debuts the next week, which may present competition with Patel's film for the action dollar.

Who are the Creatives Behind 'Monkey Man'?

In addition to directing and starring in Monkey Man, British actor Patel also co-wrote the script. The star of Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, and The Green Knight, he recently starred in Wes Anderson's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, and can next be seen in the horror film Rabbit Trap. The film will also star Sharlto Copley (District 9), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Vipin Sharma (Paatal Lok), Sikandar Kher (Sense8), Sobhita Dhulipala (The Night Manager), Ashwini Kalsekar (Jodha Akbar), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), and Makarand Deshpande (Dandupalya). Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) co-wrote the script with Patel.

Monkey Man is 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. Universal will distribute the film, taking over from Netflix, who did not plan to give the film a wide theatrical release.

Release Date and Conclusion

Monkey Man, directed by and starring Dev Patel, is set to hit theaters on April 5, 2024. The film's new trailer provides a glimpse into the action-packed story of an impoverished young man named Kid who takes on the criminal elite of Mumbai. With its new release date and studio home, Monkey Man is an exciting addition to the theaters, which have been low on films due to strikes last year. It will compete with other releases, such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and The First Omen, for the action dollar.