A new Stephen King adaptation has taken the horror genre to an entirely new level, with a trailer so shockingly violent that it was outright banned from airing on TV.
King’s adaptations, which are well known for pushing boundaries, are never short on controversy, whether it’s the chilling child murders in ‘IT,’ the disturbing scenes in ‘Gerald’s Game’ that caused viewers to pass out, or the intense moments from ‘Pet Sematary.’ But the trailer for ‘The Monkey,’ directed by Osgood Perkins, has managed to top them all.
Movie Trailer-
New trailer for ‘THE MONKEY’ from ‘Longlegs’ director Osgood Perkins.
In theaters on February 21. pic.twitter.com/zytTTSdehm
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 16, 2025
The Movie Trailer That Stunned the Executives
Released by distributor NEON, the trailer for King’s gruesome adaptation was met with redacted responses from network executives, who were adamant about not airing the spot.
NEON shared these exchanges on Twitter, revealing the harsh feedback, “We submitted a TV spot for THE MONKEY to the four major TV networks. It did not go well.”
One network deemed it “too violent to air,” while another claimed it was “not suitable for [their] audiences, even with restrictions.”
We submitted a TV spot for THE MONKEY to the four major TV networks. It did not go well. pic.twitter.com/zN3EWLp34k
— NEON (@neonrated) January 29, 2025
The Film’s Dark Premise
The film, based on a Stephen King short story from ‘Skeleton Crew,’ follows twin brothers who discover a sinister monkey toy in their attic, which leads to a series of violent and bizarre deaths.
Early trailers have already showcased plenty of gore, but the latest TV spot seems to have crossed an unspoken line. With shocking violence, including a flaming baby, it’s no surprise that fans are more eager than ever to see the finished product.
Soon people took to social media, praising NEON’s bold move. One commenter called it “the best marketing you could ask for,” while others praised the director and studio for their fearless approach.
This is the best marketing you could ask for for the film.
— 𝕲𝖗𝖊𝖌 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖗 𝕵𝖗 (@XxAshN7xX) January 30, 2025
Love this type of Marketing! They knocked it out of the park with Longlegs; and now it’s the same director & studios!
— Neeraj (@chickenpahadi) January 30, 2025
This is crazy good marketing
— skippy man (@tristan_skippy) January 30, 2025
The Monkey, starring Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, and Sarah Levy, looks set to leave audiences on the edge of their seats, even before its release.
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News
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