Since his outbreak role in Slumdog Millionaire, Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel can hardly do any wrong. His unforgettable roles as Sonny in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Saroo in Lion come to the forefront in determining what kind of creative artist Patel is — one who values a story with meaning and grit.
Now, in his feature film directorial debut, Patel engulfs himself in the audacity and mysticism of a story based on the Hindu deity, Hanuman, the god of self-discipline, wisdom, and inner strength who inherited the ability of a monkey and uses those powers to be of service to others.
The synopsis for Monkey Man reads, “After years of suppressed rage, Kid (Patel), an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash, discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.”
Patel co-wrote the script with Paul Angunawela and John Collee.
In a very rare appearance, Jordan Peele, who is a producer of Monkey Man, supports Patel’s latest creation.
“My mind was blown! Dev created a world that’s gritty and tragic, but cinematically beautiful,” Peele said in a clip from Universal. “Dev has created a very distinct, action vibe. The moments of visceral violence are real holy s*** moments.”
Peele’s cosign shouldn’t be taken lightly. The award-winning director has left an indelible mark on the film industry. His feature directing debut, Get Out, created an insatiable thirst among moviegoers ever since its release in 2017.
His two follow-ups, Us and Nope, also awakened the sensibilities of film enthusiasts seeking a continuation of storytelling masterminded by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Wes Craven. Smaller arthouse and independent production companies, such A24 and Blumhouse, have done their part to fulfill the silence in between Peele’s productions.
But, it’s such a relieving feeling for the man himself to be back on the public scene. Then, to collaborate with the innovative Patel is the perfect recipe for sold out theaters.
Monkey Man’s cast includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai), and Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero).
Watch The Official Trailer For Monkey Man Below:
In addition to Peele, the film is produced by Win Rosenfeld (Candyman), Ian Cooper (Nope), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick), Erica Lee (John Wick), Christine Haebler (Shut In), and Anjay Nagpal (Bombshell). Jonathan Fuhrman, Natalya Pavchinskya, Aaron L. Gilbert, Andria Spring, Alison-Jane Roney, and Steven Thibault are executive producers on the pic.
Distribution is managed by Universal Pictures. Monkey Man is a collaboration of BRON Studios, Thunder Road Pictures, Monkeypaw Productions, Minor Realm, S’YA Concept, in association with WME Independent and Creative Wealth Media Finance.
Monkey Man is due in theaters April 5. For showtimes, click HERE.
