Dev Patel reveals which director stepped in to help saveMonkey Manfrom studio intervention. Primarily known as an actor, Patel had his directorial feature debut earlier this year with the one-person army action filmMonkey Man. The movie tells the story of a man who is trying to seek vengeance against corrupt leaders who murdered his mother. In addition to directing, Patel also played the leading role in the film, withMonkey Man’s supporting castincluding Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, Sikandar Kher, Sobhita Dhulipala, Makrand Deshpande, Ashwini Kalsekar, Vipin Sharma, Adithi Kalkunte, and Jomon Thomas.
In an interview withVanity Fair, Patel explains how one former collaborator helped saveMonkey Man. Patel reveals thatthe person who helped him was director Garth Davis, who is known forLionand who Patel describes as “a very dear friend.” According to the actor, Davis “came to the rescue in [his] edit period because [Monkey Man] had been picked up by a studio.” Check out the full quote from Patel below:
Garth Davis, who directed Lion, is a very dear friend. He came to the rescue in my edit period because we’d been picked up by a studio, and they were trying to turn the movie into something it wasn’t. He was instrumental in watching the cut and really helping me out when I was absolutely pulling my hair out.
What This Means For Monkey Man
Patel’s experience with Davis speaks to the tumultuous experienceMonkey Manhad in making it to the big screen. Initially, the moviewas bought by Netflix and intended to be a direct-to-streaming release.Universal ended up taking over the rights, andMonkey Manwas released to positive reviewsin theaters on April 5 of this year;Screen Rant’s own Mae Abdulbaki gave it four out of five stars. This ended up being the right call forMonkey Man, as the film made over $35 million worldwide.
Monkey Man Ending Explained: What Happens To Kid
Monkey Man has an explosive ending that sees Dev Patel attempting to achieve his revenge. We break down the biggest moments from the film’s ending.
ThroughoutMonkey Man’s transition to theatrical release, the role of Jordan Peele has been what was most emphasized. After all, it was Peele who saw a version of the film and decided to purchase it for his Monkeypaw banner, under Universal. It is interesting, then, to hear Patel talk about the influence of Davis, who was not as discussed inMonkey Man’s production process, but was no less vital. Whereas Peele helped bring the thriller to the screen,Davis was crucial in its artistic refinement.
Our Take On Davis' Influence On Monkey Man
Patel And Davis Should Work On More Projects Together
Beyond their friendship, Davis and Patel’s collaboration onMonkey Manwas likely aided by their previous work together onLion. Davis was successful with this film, which was nominated for six Oscars. One of said nominations was for Patel for Best Supporting Actor, showingDavis' ability to elevate the actor to greatness. Albeit through different means of support, Davis boosted Patel again forMonkey Man, and it was another success. Hopefully, this can lead to more collaboration between Davis and Patel in the future.
Monkey Man
Cast
Monkey Man is a 2024 action-thriller film directed by and starring Dev Patel. Following his release from prison, a man known as “Kid” makes a living by engaging in anonymous underground fights in a mask where he is beaten down each night. However, after witnessing greed and corruption consuming his city, Kid breaks into the upper echelon of society to find those who destroyed his life and take them down.
