Warning: this article contains spoilers for Monkey Man.
Dev Patel’s directing debut Monkey Man opened theatrically on April 5, 2024, and was an unexpected hit at the global box office, promising incredible things ahead for the actor and director. Just in its opening weekend, Monkey Man surpassed its budget of $10 million solely from its domestic sales. It held the number two spot, despite it being Dev Patel’s first project in the director’s chair. Patel’s acting abilities have long been celebrated, with performances in films like Slumdog Millionaire and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel granting him great success, but his directing skills had yet to be tested.
Monkey Man reviews prove Dev Patel put heart into the film. The movie’s gritty action scenes evoke similarities to John Wick and Old Boy, along with the work of Bruce Lee. Patel began work on the project over ten years ago and serves as the writer, director, star, and producer of the film. Monkey Man was originally picked up by Netflix to be released across streaming platforms, but was eventually shelved. Thankfully, the project was picked up and produced by Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, leading to its 2024 theatrical release.
Even before its release in theaters, critics who attended the Monkey Man screening at the South by Southwest festival raved about Dev Patel’s directorial debut. Often, the first film by an actor-turned-director is judged more harshly, perhaps due to the difficulty of successfully swapping roles. Dev Patel proved this theory wrong with Monkey Man, and critics have responded positively to his gritty and energetic directing style. In fact, the Rotten Tomatoes critic’s score stands at 88%, even two weeks after the film’s release.
The movie continued to be well-received after its theatrical release date, so there shouldn’t be hesitation from studios to support Patel’s future projects. Though he has not publicly announced that he is working on directing any projects yet, it is clear from the passion in every shot of Monkey Man that Patel will be a force to be reckoned with in the directing world. Despite Netflix originally dropping the film, this reception is sure to have studios lined up to support Dev Patel’s follow-up.
The Monkey Man box office proves that Patel is meant to do action films. Action remains one of the most popular genres at the box office, and Monkey Man holds its own against other recent action flicks like 2024’s The Beekeeper. After its opening weekend, though the second week dipped in numbers, Monkey Man has passed a huge global milestone of over $20 million worldwide. Patel’s performance is a major reason for the film’s success. Dev Patel committed so deeply to the film’s action sequences, despite so many things going wrong during the Monkey Man shoot, even including broken bones.
Patel has partaken in some minor action in films like The Last Airbender, but much of his career has been spent acting in dramas. His acting has even earned him an Oscar nomination for his work in Lion. It is Monkey Man‘s box office triumph that places him in the position to be the next action superstar. Though Kid’s death likely prevents him from starring in a Monkey Man sequel, he has promising projects on the horizon, including the thriller Rabbit Trap and the dark romance Wicker. Dev Patel still remains a clear front-runner to headline future action movies.