The first trailer for Dev Patel’s Monkey Man was released late last week, and fans can’t stop talking about how truly badass it looks even days later.
The action-thriller tells the story of Kid (Patel), an ex-con who has been released from prison and is still getting used to the mean streets of Mumbai.
Channeling the legend of Hanuman as told to him by his beloved mother, Kid looks to become a protector of the people by working his way through the world of underground fighting while seeking out and destroying those who would victimize the poor and helpless.
Patel acts as not only the lead in the film, but as both the director and a co-writer (alongside Paul Angunawela and John Collee).
The film also stars Sharlto Copley, Pitobash Tripathy, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sikandar Kher, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, and Makarand Deshpande.
This first trailer definitely gives off major John Wick vibes—which, for anyone familiar with my personal taste, is the highest possible compliment I could give—with its quick-cut, well-choreographed fight sequences, slick sound design, and gorgeous cinematography.
And, aside from looking spectacular, the film has also caught the attention of the general public for doing the seemingly impossible: making the jump from a Netflix release to a theatrical release, all thanks to a certain familiar producer on the project, Jordan Peele.
Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions produced the film, and—according to reports—it was Peele himself who viewed the film and decided it deserved a theatrical release despite having been sold to Netflix for $30 million back in 2021.
Naturally, the film’s incredible trailer coupled with its unique journey to the big screen led to some A+ reactions courtesy of the Internet:
There you have it — Monkey Man hits theaters on April 5.
