Streaming giant Netflix has bought the rights to actor Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man. Patel first appeared on British teen dramedy series, Skins, before his breakout role in Slumdog Millionaire catapulted him to international stardom. Since then, the Oscar-nominated actor has starred in a variety of successful film and television projects, including The Newsroom, Lion, and The Personal History of David Copperfield.
Now Deadline reports that Netflix has secured a roughly $30 million deal with Dev Patel for the British actor's directorial debut Monkey Man. A revenge-thriller set in Mumbai, Monkey Man stars Patel as a recently released ex-con who takes on a world dominated by corporate greed and disintegrating morals. Co-written and produced by Patel, the buzzy film also stars Patel's Chappie co-star, Sharlto Copley, (District 9) and Bollywood stalwarts, Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven, Raman Raghav 2.0) and Sikander Kher (Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, 24: India).
Described as "John Wick set in Mumbai" and co-produced by John Wick-backers Thunder Road Films, Monkey Man should add some much-needed Indian representation to English-speaking markets. After all, the film is partially inspired by the deity Hanuman, a fierce figure in Hindu myth who often appears as a half-monkey, half-man figure. Patel has commented that he hopes his inaugural directorial effort "will be a fresh addition" to the action-thriller genre "at a time in this industry where my story can become our story." Though filming on the project has just begun, Monkey Man should prove to be an exciting new step in Patel's young career when it is released on Netflix in 2022.
Source: Deadline