Dev Patel’s hit John Wick copycat Monkey Man is now streaming after Jordan Peele helped save it from Netflix. The original action movie described as an Indian John Wick debuted in theaters in April 2024 after plenty of anticipation. Although Dev Patel was already well-known thanks to his roles in Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, The Green Knight, and more, Monkey Man represented his directorial debut. The challenge of it coming in a gritty action movie that immediately brought John Wick comparisons only raised expectations about what could be in store.

Monkey Man ultimately delivered on these high expectations. The film’s action sequences are incredibly impressive, with Dev Patel even breaking his hand performing one of them. The story revolves around Patel’s Kid as he seeks revenge on the people responsible for the death of his mother. By the time Monkey Man‘s ending rolls around, Patel manages to deliver a satisfying action movie that has much more to say thematically and politically than some of its contemporaries. For anyone who missed out on watching Monkey Man in theaters, its streaming debut is here.

Monkey Man Is Now Streaming On Peacock

It Released On Peacock On June 14, 2024

Two months after it premiered in theaters, Monkey Man is now streaming on Peacock as part of its streaming debut. The film, which was acquired by Universal Pictures, received a June 14, 2024, Peacock release date on the studio’s streaming service. The plan means Monkey Man comes to streaming 70 days after its theatrical debut. It also means that the film is not streaming on Netflix as originally planned.

Monkey Man‘s story begins with Kid’s time as an underground fighter wearing a monkey mask, inspired by Hanuman. He is motivated to find and kill Rana Singh, the evil police officer who was responsible for killing Kid’s mother. His plan ultimately involves getting a job at a club that Rana frequently visits, but this becomes more complicated as Kid learns about Rana’s connections to Baba Shakti, a spiritual and political figure in Yatana. It is through this story that Monkey Man‘s action scenes break out as Kid and others fight for justice and a better future.

Why Netflix Sold Monkey Man

Universal Bought The Movie From Netflix

Monkey Man was originally set to be a Netflix exclusive release, as the streamer paid $30 million to acquire the rights to Dev Patel’s action movie. It was expected to debut on Netflix, but the company eventually became concerned with how it would be received. According to a report from Deadline, Netflix “found it too gritty for the Indian market.” This is potentially due to the political ideas and commentary that Monkey Man includes about the current state of the country.

Netflix’s sudden disinterest in releasing Monkey Man after seeing how the movie came together led to the film being shopped around to find a new home. This is when Get Out director Jordan Peele managed to see a cut of the film and wanted to help it find its audience. Peele convinced Universal to acquire the film, and the studio did. While Netflix paid $30 million for the film, it sold the rights to Universal for less than $10 million according to Deadline. Universal then announced that Monkey Man would receive an exclusive theatrical release instead of debuting on streaming.

There are currently no plans for Monkey Man to stream on Netflix at a later date. The studio’s decision to sell the film to Universal could mean that it never comes to its original streaming home. Netflix does not have a deal in place to stream new Universal movies beyond those from the animated studios DreamWorks and Illumination. To stream Monkey Man and watch it at home, Peacock is the only place to do so besides buying or renting it on digital.

Monkey Man’s Theatrical Success Explained

Patel’s Movie Was A Hit

Universal’s decision to buy Monkey Man and release it in theaters proved to be quite successful. Even before the movie debuted, it was widely praised by critics. Monkey Man has an 88% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of its streaming debut. Reviews noted the film’s excellent fight scenes, political commentary, and Patel’s sharp directing and layered performance. Audiences also responded positively to the film as represented by its 84% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

The success Monkey Man experienced then translated to its box office. The film earned $34.6 million at the worldwide box office after Universal’s rollout, with $25.1 million coming domestically. This means it should be a profitable release for the studio after paying less than $10 million for it. However, plans to release Monkey Man in India were scrapped due to the country’s concerns about its content. Monkey Man did not come close to breaking any major box office records, but it ultimately became a success story and makes a sequel possible.

Source: Deadline