The newestStephen Kinghorror movie has broken a record at the box office. King is a prolific author who is best known for his works in the horror genre, though he has also dabbled in sci-fi, fantasy, and more. Since the release of his debut novel,Carrie, in 1974, he has published more than 60 books in addition to his 5 nonfiction works, roughly 200 short stories, and various screenplays, columns, collections, and beyond. Over the years, many film adaptations of his works have been critical successes, including 1990’sMisery, which won Kathy Bates an Oscar for Best Actress.
Additionally, many of these adaptations have been commercially successful. By far the highest-grossing installment was 2017’sIt, as the movie - which follows an evil shapeshifting entity known that frequently takes the form ofPennywise the Clowntormenting the town of Derry in the 1980s - grossed $704.2 million against its roughly $40 million budget. Five other King adaptations have grossed more than $100 million worldwide, namelyIt: Chapter Two($467.6 million),The Green Mile($290.7 million),1408($131.3 million),The Dark Tower($113.5 million), and 2019’sPet Sematary($111.8 million), with all of his adaptationscollectively earning more than $2.9 billion.
The Monkey Has Climbed The Charts
The Stephen King Adaptation Was Directed By Osgood Perkins
Osgood Perkins' big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’sTheMonkeysparks a strong box-office start for the horror genre in 2025. The 2025 horror movie tells the story oftwins haunted by a sinister toy monkey that brings gruesome deaths to those who come across it. A critical and financial hit,The Monkeystars Theo Jamesas twins Hal and Bill, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Tatiana Maslany, Christian Concert, Colin O’Brien, Adam Scott, and Elijah Wood.
Osgood Perkins previously directed 2024’sLonglegs, a smash hit serial killer thriller starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage that grossed $126.9 million against a budget of less than $10 million.
According toBox Office Mojo,TheMonkeyhas earned over $38 million from the worldwide box office, placing it as the seventh highest-earning production of the year overall.The title is the highest-grossing horror movie of the year so far.This placesThe Monkeyahead ofCompanion’s $34.9 million gross,Wolf Man, which each made an estimated $34 million, as well asHeart Eyes' gross of roughly $31 million.
What The Monkey’s Box-Office Success Means For The 2025 Horror Slate
All Of 2025’s Currently Released Horrors Have Earned Back Their Budgets
The year 2025 has already seen the horror genre enjoy a fresh startfollowing the success ofNosferatu, with the Oscar-nominated vampire horror lingering in theaters into the new year after its December 2024 release.Companionand thehorror rom-comHeart Eyeswould continue this trend, as each feature has managed to earn back its budget. Even with its mixed reception,Wolf Manearned back its budget of $25 million, although it is not a box-office success, as that budget likely placed its overall break-even point somewhere around $62.5 million.
Movies typically need to earn back two-and-a-half times their budgets at the box office, as theaters keep half of ticket sales and marketing costs are not included in production budgets.
As such,The Monkeycontinues a positive trend that is only likely to continue going into the rest of 2025. Theyear will see beloved horror franchises return to the big screen, such asM3GAN 2.0,Five Nights At Freddy’s 2, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Predator: Badlands, and28 Weeks Later. However,OpusandDeath of a Unicornalso seem set to provide for those interested in bold, original horror. On top of that, Perkins has another movie calledKeeper, which will reunite him withThe Monkeystar Tatiana Maslany.
Our Thoughts On The Monkey’s Success
Perkins Is Solidifying Himself As An Esteemed Horror Director Thanks To A String Of Hits
Between existing icons returning and new, creative twists on the genre arriving in theaters,horror fans are set to be spoiled in 2025. Plus, audiences are clearly invested in low-budget horrors in contrast with large-budget blockbusters that find themselves struggling to make a significant profit. While not all of these movies will end up outgrossingThe Monkey, which is performing well in the midbudget sphere, it seems highly likely that its current record will be broken before long, considering the stellar upcoming slate.
Upcoming Horror Movies Releasing In 2025
The 2025 horror movie slate features the return of more than five horror franchises, awaited adaptations, and many great original stories.
Furthermore,The Monkeyhas not only set up a strong start for the horror genre in 2025, but it also continueda positive trend for Perkins himself. Not only wasLonglegsa profitable and critical hit, but theStephen Kingadaptation became his and distributor Neon’s highest-grossing movie released to date, alongside the highest-grossing independent movie of the year. With Perkins already set to release his and Neon’s next collaboration in October withKeeper, the movie seems set to be another fresh hit, thanks to the excitement surrounding the director’s two most recent features.
