Top Stephen King Horror of the 2025 Hits Streaming Next Month

Stephen King fans had a great time this year, with many new adaptations hitting the screen. Most of the classic Stephen King movies, like The Shining and Carrie, came out before the 2000s, and some of his well-known stories that aren’t horror, like The Green Mile and Stand by Me, also became big hits.

One of the latest King adaptations was The Life of Chuck. Unlike most King stories, it’s not a horror film. It didn’t do well in theaters, but critics liked it a lot, giving it an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

This year still has a lot to offer. Upcoming adaptations include The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence, and a remake of The Running Man by Edgar Wright. But one King adaptation that already came out has now been given a streaming release date.

That movie is The Monkey. Directed by Osgood Perkins, it’s based on King’s short story of the same name. The story is about twin brothers who find a creepy old toy monkey in their attic, which seems connected to a series of terrifying events. The Monkey is coming to the Hulu on August 7.

The Monkey came out in theaters in the US on February 21, 2025, through Neon. It stars Theo James, who plays both twins.

The cast also includes Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Sarah Levy, Adam Scott, Elijah Wood, and others. The movie mixes dark comedy with horror and has earned good reviews. It made nearly $69 million worldwide, which is a big success considering its $10–11 million budget.

The plot starts in 1999 when Petey Shelburn tries to return a wind-up monkey toy to an antique shop. But when the toy starts playing its drums, it triggers a deadly accident. Later, Petey disappears, leaving his wife Lois to raise their twin boys, Hal and Bill. When the twins find the monkey and wind it up, bad things start to happen, including a shocking accident involving their babysitter.

On Rotten Tomatoes, 78% of critics gave The Monkey a positive review, with an average rating of 6.7 out of 10. The site says, “Cruelly clever with some unforgettably gory set pieces, The Monkey reaffirms director Osgood Perkins’ horror bona fides while revealing he also has a surprising – albeit sick – sense of humor.”

Metacritic gave the movie a score of 62 out of 100, meaning the reviews were mostly favorable. Audience reactions were mixed, with CinemaScore giving it a “C+” and PostTrak showing that about half of viewers would recommend it.

This new Stephen King film is now coming to Hulu, making it easier for fans to watch this dark and twisted story at home. The Monkey is one of the best King adaptations of the 2020s so far, blending horror and dark humor in a way that stands out.