The preview for Stephen King’s latest horror movie is so intense that four television networks have decided not to show it.
From the infamous bedroom scene in Gerald’s Game to the entirety of Pet Sematary, fans of Stephen King are well aware that graphic content is a hallmark of his work.
However, the trailer for his upcoming movie has caused a commotion among broadcasters, leading them to reject its airing.
NEON, the company distributing the film, went on social media to display the emails they received from network executives who declined to air the trailer.
The movie in question is The Monkey, the newest adaptation of King’s work, directed by Osgood Perkins of Longlegs fame.
This film is based on King’s 1980 short story from the collection ‘Skeleton Crew’ and follows two twin brothers who find an old monkey toy in their attic.
The anticipation is already building…
After the toy’s discovery, a series of violent incidents occur, including gruesome deaths, gore, and even a baby engulfed in flames.
The film features a stellar cast including Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy, and Perkins, who takes on roles both in front of and behind the camera.
NEON shared the emails on X with the caption: “We submitted a TV spot for THE MONKEY to the four major TV networks. It did not go well.”
All four networks provided substantial reasons for refusing the trailer.
One of the responses stated: “The spot below would not be permitted in any programming,” citing ‘excessive violence’ after a heavily redacted portion.
When asked for feedback, the network reportedly replied that there were concerns with ‘every scene in the spot’. Wow…
An additional network commented that the trailer was ‘not suitable for [their] audiences, even with restrictions’, while a third studio reportedly labeled the trailer as ‘too violent to air’.
Naturally, this news only heightened the interest of eager fans wanting to see the film…
One fan commented: “This is the best marketing you could ask for for the film.”
Another added: “Neon really the best in the game at film marketing,” while a third noted: “Love this type of marketing! They knocked it out of the park with Longlegs; and now it’s the same director & studios.”
The Monkey will be released in theaters on February 21.