The year’s not over yet, and we’ve already seen a lot of horror movies in 2025. A lot. So many, in fact, that it’s easy to forget that some very fun stuff came out months ago. Whether you’re watching them for the first time or you just feel like refreshing yourself, many of 2025’s best horror releases are now out there on streaming, a click away.
That includes a film that dropped back in February and, while it’s since been overshadowed by box office hits like Sinners and Weapons, remains one of the best horror films of the year. It’s funny, it’s brutal, and it’s climbing the streaming charts on Hulu right now.
Osgood Perkins‘ The Monkey, based on the Stephen King short story of the same name, is one of the most popular movies on the streaming service right now, and it’s easy to see why. The story of a family that’s tormented throughout their lives by a cursed wind-up monkey toy is exactly the kind of horror movie you’ll want to watch with friends, preferably with lots of snacks on a late Friday or Saturday night.
What makes The Monkey such a great movie to watch with a group? If you only know Perkins from darker, heavier stuff like The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Longlegs, you might not be expecting the unbridled fun of this movie. It starts with an exceptionally creative opening kill, and just never lets up on the bloody mayhem. But it’s not all about gore. The film’s tone, exemplified by star Theo James and Perkins himself in a supporting role, is gloriously comedic.
As co-star Tatiana Maslany explained in Dread Central’s February cover story on the film:
“I don’t know that the movie leans into nihilism exactly. It’s more about the absurdity of death and the meaning—or meaninglessness—of it all. There’s humor in the fact that we have no control over any of it.”
Audiences and critics agreed, and The Monkey became one of 2025’s earliest horror successes. In his review of the film back in February, Dread Central’s Josh Korngut said “Whether you come for the carnage or stay for the existential crisis, The Monkey delivers something uniquely unsettling and oddly cathartic.”
Now that sense of cathartic, blackly humorous madness is streaming for everyone to see. If you haven’t gotten around to The Monkey yet, it deserves a spot on your Halloween watchlist heading into the fall. If you have seen The Monkey already, then you know that it’s the perfect film to show to unsuspecting friends. So make some popcorn, press play, and watch as everyone’s jaw hits the floor.
Categorized:News
