Dev Patel's Hit Now streaming after Jordan Peele helped save it from Netflix is John Wick Copycat Monkey Man.
Now streaming after Jordan Peele helped save it from Netflix is Dev Patel's blockbuster John Wick clone Monkey Man. Originally billed as an Indian John Wick, the first action film opened theatres in April 2024 on great demand. Though Dev Patel's performances in Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, The Green Knight, and others made him already well-known, Monkey Man marked his directing debut. Coming in a dark action movie that instantly drew John Wick analogies only heightened expectations about what could be in store.
Monkey Man finally performed to great standards. The action scenes in the movie are really amazing; Dev Patel even broke his hand executing one of them. Patel's Kid drives the narrative as he seeks retribution on those guilty for the murder of his mother. Patel crafts a compelling action film with far more political and thematic relevance than some of Monkey Man's predecessors by the time its ending rolls around. Its streaming release is here for everyone who missed seeing Monkey Man in cinemas.
Monkey Man is Now Available on Peacock.
Monkey Man is currently available on Peacock as part of its streaming debut two months following its theatrical release. Purchased by Universal Pictures, the movie has a June 14, 2024 Peacock release date on their streaming platform. According to the schedule, Monkey Man arrives for streaming seventy days following its theatrical opening. It also implies that Netflix is not streaming the movie as first intended.
Inspired by Hanuman, Monkey Man starts his tale with Kid's time as an underground fighter sporting a monkey mask. Finding and killing Rana Singh, the cruel police officer in charge of murder of Kid's mother, drives him. Eventually, his objective is to land a position at a club Rana goes regularly; but, this gets more difficult when Kid discovers Rana's ties to Baba Shakti, a political and spiritual leader in Yatana. Monkey Man's action scenes arise in this narrative as Kid and others struggle for justice and a brighter future.
Though they have different thematic goals, Monkey Man and John Wick's stories are somewhat similar.
Though it is not exactly a replica of the movie, many viewers have noted the parallels as the heart of the action thriller genre is evident in it. Still a fantastic movie with a more varied, sophisticated view of the revenge story.
Given Monkey Man's storyline, it is difficult not to see analogues. The movie looks at the longing for retribution in a society gone harsh and cruel. Patel's portrayal and the action scenes provide still another level of emotional connection for the viewers, therefore augmenting the film.
Why Netflix purchased Monkey Man?
Since the streamer paid $30 million to get the rights to Dev Patel's action film, Monkey Man was originally scheduled as a Netflix exclusive distribution. Originally slated for Netflix, the corporation finally started to worry about how it would be accepted. Netflix "found it too gritty for the Indian market," claims a Deadline story. This could be because Monkey Man incorporates political views and commentary on the present situation of the nation.
After seeing how Monkey Man came together, Netflix suddenly showed no interest in distributing the picture, which resulted in it being shopped around to find a new home. Get Out director Jordan Peele saw a version of the movie at this point and wanted to assist in its finding of an audience. Peele persuaded Universal to buy the movie, and the company did. Deadline claims that although Netflix paid $30 million for the movie, it sold Universal the rights for less than $10 million. Universal then declared that Monkey Man will not premiere on streaming but rather have an exclusive theatrical release.
Theatrical Success of Monkey Man Justified
Universal's choice to acquire Monkey Man and show it in theatres turned out to be really wise. Critics hailed it extensively even before the film even opened. At the time of its streaming premiere, Monkey Man had an 88% Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews praised the movie's political message, superb action scenes, and smart direction and layered performance by Patel. The movie's 84% Rotten Tomatoes score shows how well audiences responded as well.
Monkey Man's triumph followed through to the box office. After Universal's release, the movie made $34.6 million at the global box office; $25.1 million came domestically. This implies that, after paying less than $10 million for it, the studio should find great profit from this release. Plans to premiere Monkey Man in India were shelved, nevertheless, because of the nation's reservations over its content. Though Monkey Man did not nearly shatter any significant box office records, it turned out to be a success story and opens a sequel's possibility.
Monkey Man's streaming on Netflix at a later date is not scheduled anywhere at yet.
The studio's choice to sell the movie to Universal might mean that it never finds its natural streaming home. Beyond those from DreamWorks and Illumination, Netflix does not have a contract in place to stream fresh Universal pictures. Peacock is the only site to stream Monkey Man and view it at home other than digital buying or renting it.
Author: Deadline.
