The Monkey Director Reveals His Dream Book Adaptation After Stephen King Movie’s 78% RT Success

Director Osgood Perkins reveals his next cinematic aspiration following the success of his latest film, The Monkey. An adaptation of Stephen King's 1980 short story, The Monkey intertwines horror and dark comedy to tell the tale of twin brothers haunted by a cursed toy monkey that drums up a series of creatively grotesque deaths. The film features Theo James in a dual role as Hal and Bill Shelburn, alongside Tatiana Maslany, Colin O'Brien, and Elijah Wood. Released on February 21, The Monkey now boasts a 78% critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has since amassed $31 million globally.

In a recent Reddit AMA on the r/movies community, Perkinsexpressed an interest in adapting John Fowles' novel The Magusfor the big screen after his successful adaptation of King's work. This 1965 novel follows a disillusioned English schoolteacher who takes a job on a remote Greek island where he becomes embroiled in a deadly game orchestrated by a wealthy and enigmatic recluse.

What Perkin's Next Literary Adaptation Means

From Haunted Toys To Twisted Minds

Fowles' The Magus follows English teacher Nicholas Urfe, who struggles to distinguish reality from illusion as he's subjected to a series of elaborate and surreal theatrical performances by a wealthy Greek recluse, Maurice Conchi. Fowles' novel was previously adapted in 1968. Starring Michael Caine and Anthony Quinn, the film came from a screenplay by Fowles himself. It was critically panned, with Caine later calling it one of the worst movies he ever made. However, given Perkins' track record of atmospheric and unsettling work, a new adaptation could redeem the novel's cinematic legacy.

Osgood Perkins' Film	Rotten Tomatoes Score	Box Office
The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015)	77%	$38,348
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)	59%	N/A
Gretel & Hansel (2020)	63%	$22.3 million
Longlegs (2024)	86%	$126 million
The Monkey (2025)	78%	$31.1 million

With a growing reputation for compelling, high-concept horror, Perkins tackling The Magus could make for a bold and fascinating adaptation. The Monkey has become a notable box office success, leaping into the top 20 highest-grossing Stephen King movies of all time worldwide, surpassing 1976's Carrie. Perkins' previous literary adaptation, Gretel & Hansel, received a 63% score on Rotten Tomatoes. More recently, his 2024 film Longlegs, a psychological horror starring Nicolas Cage, was both a box office hit—earning an impressive $126 million on a $24 million budget—and a critical success.

Our Take On Perkins' Next Potential Adaptation

Will Perkins Crack The Code Of The Magus?

Hal (Theo James) talking on the phone with his brother in The Monkey

With Longlegs and The Monkey, director Osgood Perkins has proven his ability to bring psychological complexity to his unsettling horror. The psychological labyrinth of The Magus seems like a fitting next challenge for the director, who could bring a fresh perspective and a distinct vision to Fowles' enigmatic novel. If realized, Perkins' adaptation of John Fowles' The Maguscould renew the novel’s cinematic legacy and further establish Perkins' momentum as a leading horror director.

Source: Osgood Perkins/Reddit