Monkey Man producer Jordan Peele isn’t done monkeying around with director-writer-actor Dev Patel. Peele says that he wants to cast Patel in his next movie.
The official description of Monkey Man reads: “Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, 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 by more popular fighters for cash.
“After years of suppressed rage, Kid 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.”
According to Entertainment Weekly, “Peele and Patel say they’ve admired each other’s work for years, and they quickly bonded over their love of action and their shared experiences as actors turned filmmakers. Besides, it only made sense for them to work together, especially when Peele’s company is called MonkeyPaw Productions. ‘Obviously, there’s a serendipity in that,’ Patel says with a laugh.”
Jordan Peele Says That He Wants To Make an Action Movie With ‘Monkey Man’ Star Dev Patel
Before Jordan Peele came on as producer, Dev Patel’s Monkey Man was heading straight to streaming. “I just believe in the theatrical experience,” said Peele to EW. “I believe that film can be at its most transcendent when you’re with a bunch of people you don’t know, and you’re all going through the same thing. This is one of these films where we’re going to get an audible reaction. There’s going to be tears, there’s going to be cheers, there’s going to be laughs, and there’s going to be applause. And I love for an audience to get to feel the contagion of that.”
When asked if he would ever direct an action film, Peele said:
“My action film would probably not be as ambitious in this way. It would be a different incorporation. But what I connected to about [Monkey Man] is that Dev didn’t stop himself from indulging in all the gifts that these genres can give us. I’m inspired by him, and I think I’m definitely going to be calling him to help me do some action. I mean, what I need to do is just cast him. And then I’ve got an amazing action director in my lead role!”
Monkey Man is now playing exclusively in theaters. Watch the trailer below.
