This might be the only time that a copious number of notes is a great sign for an upcoming film. NEON is continuing to stake its claim in the horror genre as a production company willing to push boundaries in an unconventional manner.Following the immense success of director Osgood Perkins’Longlegs,starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, NEON is trusting Perkins to make another cannon-ball-sized splash at the box office with his upcoming adaptation of a Stephen King short story,The Monkey.The production company proudly shared a letter from the Motion Picture Association to advertise the Red Band tag for the new trailer releasing on January 8 at 12pm ET.
Founded in 1922, the MPA is an American trade association made up of five major U.S. film studios with the goal of fostering the American film industry. However, the association has also historically been the final say regarding how a film is rated and advertised. The MPA created the Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hays Code, that led to the voluntary film rating system American films go through now.In a genius marketing move, NEON released a letter from the MPA about the trailer for its then-unrated horror film, detailing every instance of f**kery and gore that earned it a Red Band label.
If the R-rated details denoting various images throughout the trailer,like a “bowling ball smashing a child’s face” and “bloody entrails,“aren’t enough to convince you thatPerkins is taking his death-focused film to a new level of explicitness, then the one redacted note should.While NEON is probably just saving the blacked-out detail for audiences to witness in the trailer, one can’t help but think the black bar is hiding the most f**ked-up detail of all. Check out the letter from the MPA below.
‘The Monkey’ is Already Turning Heads
The Monkeyfollows twin brothers (both played by Theo James) who discover an old, creepy toy monkey in their dad’s attic, precipitating a series of gnarly, disturbing deaths. As seen in the first teaser, Perkins is showing off his horror prowess with an homage to the wild and sometimes hilarious ways in which people can die.Producer James Wan and NEON were proud to announce that this weekThe Monkeywas officially rated R for “Strong bloody violent content, gore, language throughout, and some sexual references.”
With stars like Theo James fromThe White Lotus,Tatiana Maslany fromShe–Hulk:Attorney at Law, and Elijah Wood fromManiac,but (of course) best known for his work inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, Perkins' upcoming film has already gripped horror fans' attention. King fans might find the changes to the already scary story jarring, but for newcomers,The Monkeyis shaping up to be a great King adaptation that captures his signature messed-up frights.
All eyes are on the son ofPsychostar Anthony Perkins as he makes a name for himself in the world of horror.The Monkeyhits theaters on June 29, 2025, and NEON is set to release a brand-new trailer on January 8 at 12pm ET.
