Longlegs director Osgood Perkins says the success of his recent horror movies has come as a surprise to him. His 2024 hit starring Nicolas Cage as a serial killer pursuing Maika Monroe's FBI agent grossed $125 million off a $9 million budget.

Easily one of the most talked-about horror movies of 2024 was Longlegs, a movie which earned that reputation before it was even unleashed on audiences. Its cryptic and compelling marketing campaign avoided offering any glimpses at Nicolas Cage as the titular serial killer,

That audience won’t get what they’re expecting. And yet, as movie studios fixate on giving fans exactly what they want, Perkins may be making a name for himself by giving them exactly what he wants. The Monkey is, to put it gently, the peanut butter to Longlegs ’ celery.