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The Monkey US Weekend (Feb 21-23): Neon’s Horror Thriller Opens With USD 14.2M, Becomes Distributor’s Second-Biggest Debut
Neon’s The Monkey opened with USD 14.2M, marking the distributor’s second-biggest U.S. debut. Despite mixed word of mouth, the horror film is set to surpass Anora and Immaculate.
Neon’s latest horror release, The Monkey, has made a strong impression at the U.S. box office, debuting with USD 14.2 million in its opening weekend across 3,200 theaters. While this figure comes in below its projected USD 17 million to USD 22 million range, the R-rated horror still secured Neon’s second-biggest debut ever, trailing only last year’s breakout hit Longlegs, which arrived with USD 22.4 million.
Despite receiving mixed word-of-mouth from audiences, The Monkey has already climbed the ranks in Neon’s domestic box office history. In just one weekend, it has become the indie distributor’s seventh highest-grossing film, set to surpass both Anora (USD 15.3M) and Immaculate (USD 15.7M) in the coming days. The film’s solid debut reinforces the growing demand for high-concept horror.
Directed and written by Osgood Perkins, The Monkey is based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story of the same name. The film follows twin brothers whose lives take a terrifying turn after they discover their father’s cursed monkey in the attic, which triggers a series of horrific and unexplained deaths around them.
The film boasts a strong ensemble cast led by Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O’Brien, Rohan Campbell, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood. Perkins, known for his horror storytelling (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel), brings his signature eerie tone to this adaptation, blending psychological terror with supernatural horror.
Neon has been steadily making a name for itself in the horror space, with The Monkey marking another solid performance for the studio. While it did not quite reach the breakout numbers of Longlegs, its debut remains impressive given its modest budget and independent backing.
With generally positive reviews from critics and continued audience curiosity about Stephen King’s adaptations, The Monkey could hold well in the coming weeks, especially as word-of-mouth, a major factor in a horror film’s sustained performance, solidifies. If it maintains steady weekday earnings, it has a strong chance of outperforming several of Neon’s past releases, further cementing the studio’s growing reputation in the genre.
Have you watched The Monkey yet? If you're looking for more, Captain America: Brave New World is also still in theaters.
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