The impact of the John Wick movies can be seen in the trailer of Monkey Man. Dev Patel (known for his roles in Slumdog Millionaire and The Green Knight) teams up with Jordan Peele to deliver this action-packed film.
The trailer, which dropped in January, has drawn huge comparisons to the high-octane action of the John Wick series. Patel is making his directorial debut, while Peele is the producer of the action thriller.
As reported by IGN, the film is inspired by divine monkey-like God Hanuman, a Hindu “icon embodying strength and courage.” This film marks Patel’s break from the curse of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Dev Patel’s Upcoming Thriller Breaks Avatar: The Last Airbender Curse
Dev Patel, along with Paul Angunawela and John Collee, created the story and wrote the screenplay for upcoming Monkey Man.
Besides directing, the British actor also stars as Kid (the main lead)—a young man living in Mumbai who barely gets by working at an underground fight club. Every night, he puts on a gorilla mask and gets brutally beaten by the more famous fighters at the club. Watch out the trailer below:
People online are amazed by Patel’s surprising move into action, and they’re praising the impressive fight choreography by Brahim Chab. Some are even calling Patel the Indian equivalent of action icon John Wick. Check out some fan reactions:
At first, I thought it was going to be a horror film but when I saw the trailer, it was like watching a John Wick film only this time the leading actor is British.
— Taajwar Pope (@PopeTaajwar) March 12, 2024
Good news that we’re getting a good one in April. I’ll definitely check this one out.
— MelloProto (@MelloTheProto) March 12, 2024
I know it will be phenomenal. Dev Patel is amazing
— Juan🇳🇬🇵🇱 (@BlaqJuan) March 12, 2024
So excited for this one.
Seated day one— Yannis (ᑐᑌᑎᕮ 2 Era) Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (@PEWDSikeatower1) March 12, 2024
HOLY FUCK IM EXCITED!
— Isaac Joel (@itsisaacjoel) March 12, 2024
This film marks a turning point for the 33-year-old actor, breaking him free from the curse of his 2010s project. Back then, he played Prince Zuko in the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie, a role he has regretted ever since.
The Last Airbender was Patel’s second major project, but it wasn’t a pleasant experience for him. He’s been outspoken about it, even going as far as calling it “a little bit sh*t” (via Screen Rant) when a fan asked him to sign a poster at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
Besides that, The Newsroom star has revealed that his experience starring in ATLA movie taught him a big lesson about Hollywood. Speaking to THR in 2016, he explained that his time on the film made him wary of “those big studio movies.”
What We Know About Dev Patel’s Upcoming Action-Packed Venture?
The Hollywood Reporter stated that Monkey Man was first considered for streaming. But it was then planned for a theatrical release when Jordan Peele and his company Monkeypaw Productions got involved with the project. The synopsis of the film reads:
“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.”
The cast includes Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher, and Makarand Deshpande.
Monkey Man arrives exclusively in theaters on Friday, April 5, 2024.
