"Monkey Man" surpasses $10 million in first weekend domestic box office sales

The "John Wick"-esque action thriller "Monkey Man" was the second-highest grossing film at domestic box offices this weekend — making over $10 million across more than 3,000 theaters.
Why it matters: The movie was sold first to Netflix before "political undertones" reportedly scared the streamer off and Jordan Peele stepped in to convince Universal Pictures to pick it up, according to The Wrap.
Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Zoom in: Director, writer and star Dev Patel included real footage of political demonstrations against India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, film critic Siddhant Adlakaha notes.
The target of the revenge-driven storyline is a man who becomes a "half-hearted metaphor for India's contemporary, right wing Hindutva government," Adlakaha writes.
Zoom out: Netflix is losing ground in India, a crucial growth market, The Wrap notes.
The merger of Disney's Indian TV and streaming assets with Reliance Industries' JioCinema together will control around 31% of the streaming user base in India.
Netflix has about 8% of viewers.
ev Patel’s directorial debut, “Monkey Man,” has received an April release date from Universal. The move marks a studio shift for the Patel film, which was initially sold to Netflix in 2021 for $30 million.

The movie is inspired by the legend of the Hindu god Hanuman. Patel stars as Kid, a young man who is surviving by living in an underground fight club and, while wearing a gorilla mask, is beaten by popular fighters for cash. With his rage boiling over, plus a traumatic childhood, the Kid goes out on a journey of retribution against those who wronged him.

The first trailer for “Monkey Man” also dropped, showcasing the film in what looks like a strong combination of “John Wick” and James Bond. While Peele and Monkeypaw are well-known for horror, the trailer looks far more action-oriented.

Patel directs the film from his original story. The screenplay is cowritten with Paul Angunawela and John Collee. The cast includes Sharlto Copley, Sobhita Dhulipala, Pitobash, Vipin Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Adithi Kalkunte, Sikandar Kher and Makarand Deshpande.
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