The Monkey ending explained: Did Bill die?
The Monkey, directed by Osgood Perkins and based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story. It is a suspenseful and horror-driven story that revolves around a cursed toy monkey capable of causing death whenever its cymbals clash. The film follows twin brothers Hal and Bill, played by Theo James and Christian Convery. At different ages, they struggle with their dark connection to the supernatural object.
Note: The article contains spoilers for the film, The Monkey.
Throughout the film, the monkey’s sinister influence spreads chaos, bringing unexpected and often gruesome deaths to those around them.
The story builds toward a climactic confrontation between the estranged brothers, as Bill becomes increasingly obsessed with controlling the monkey’s deadly power. Meanwhile, Hal, who has tried multiple times to rid himself of the cursed toy, is forced to confront his past and the destruction it has caused.
By the time the film reaches its violent conclusion, several characters have died, Bill also dies in The Monkey's ending when his own booby trap, a bowling ball belonging to his mother, decapitates him.
Exploring in detail Bill's fate in The Monkey
Bill meets a gruesome end in the climax of The Monkey. After years of harboring resentment toward his brother and fixating on his ability to command the monkey’s power, Bill’s obsession ultimately leads to his downfall. Despite numerous failed attempts to use the monkey to kill Hal, Bill remains convinced that he can control its deadly influence.
He hires Ricky to retrieve the toy, believing that if he can manipulate its power effectively, he can exact revenge on his twin.
In a tense confrontation between the brothers, Bill reveals that he learned about Hal’s earlier attempt to use the monkey against him. As emotions run high, Bill desperately shakes the monkey, trying to force it to kill Hal. However, as the supernatural force behind the toy has demonstrated time and again, death is random and uncontrollable.
The monkey, seemingly responding to Bill’s erratic actions, triggers a chain reaction of deaths across the town before turning its attention to him.
The moment of Bill’s demise is particularly ironic. As he stands near one of his own elaborate booby traps, a bowling ball once belonging to their late mother is suddenly launched at him, striking him with such force that it decapitates him.
This moment underscores the film’s central theme that death is inevitable and cannot be controlled, no matter how much power one believes they have over it.
Bill’s years of obsession with revenge and belief that he could dictate who lived and who died ultimately prove futile, as he falls victim to the forces he sought to master.
What happens to the monkey?
Despite all the disorder it creates, the monkey is not destroyed at the movie's end. During the story, Hal tries several times to be rid of the haunted item whether by tossing it into a well or attempting to destroy it outright.
Yet every time, the monkey manages to reappear again, always seemingly indestructible and somehow supernaturally tied to its owners. Instead of taking a chance for someone else to find the toy and innocently unleash its deadly potential, Hal keeps the monkey with him.
Knowing he can't get rid of it, he chooses confinement. With his son, Petey, Hal takes charge of making sure that the monkey is kept under lock and key so that it can't end up in the hands of the wrong person. This choice implies that the initial threat has subsided, but the curse is still unbroken.
The last moments of the film provide a clue about the lingering danger of the monkey's magic. Hal and Petey, while driving away from the ruined town, notice a strange pale rider, who salutes them before vanishing on the horizon.
This strange meeting suggests a relationship between the rider and the supernatural power behind the monkey, with the potential for future repercussions left hanging.
Whether or not the monkey will stay dormant as long as no one turns its key is unknown, but Hal's choice to keep it near indicates that he realizes the danger of losing sight of it.
What else happens in the movie?
The film’s story is not only about a monkey’s deadly influence but also about Hal and Bill’s strained bond, shaped by childhood trauma and their shared history with the cursed toy, which serves as the film's emotional core of the film.
In the beginning, their father, Captain Petey Shelburn (played by Adam Scott), mysteriously disappears after attempting to destroy the monkey with a blowtorch.
Left to be raised by their mother, Lois, the brothers’ lives take different paths Hal grows more cautious and distant, while Bill becomes increasingly cruel and reckless. Their mother’s sudden death, triggered by the monkey, deepens their divide, leading them to take separate paths.
Years later, in 1999, Hal has become estranged from his son, Petey, whom he sees only once a year. Haunted by his past, Hal fears that his misfortune will pass onto his son, mirroring what he believes happened between his father and him.
Meanwhile, having spent years searching for the monkey, Bill finally regains possession of it, convinced that it holds the key to fulfilling his long-held grudge against Hal.
As the story progresses, multiple violent deaths occur as a result of the monkey’s actions, including:
- Lois (their mother) – Dies from a sudden brain aneurysm.
- Uncle Chip – Trampled by animals in a hunting accident.
- Hal & Bill’s babysitter – Decapitated in a freak accident.
- Realtor – Shot in the head by a misfiring gun.
- Ricky – Killed by a swarm of bees.
As the film nears its climax, Ricky becomes another victim when he attempts to steal back the monkey from Bill. His attachment to the toy stems from his belief that it connects him to his absent father. However, when he tries to reclaim it, the monkey’s deadly force is activated, causing bees to swarm into his mouth and suffocate him.
The town itself also suffers from the monkey’s influence. As Bill attempts to force the toy to obey his command, its power spirals out of control, leading to multiple deaths throughout the area.
The scene of destruction emphasizes that the monkey’s curse extends beyond those directly involved, affecting anyone unlucky enough to be nearby when it is activated.
By the film’s conclusion, Hal and Petey are left as the only survivors of the ordeal. Despite their past struggles, the experience brings them closer together. As they drive away, Hal suggests they go dancing a small yet significant gesture that connects back to their mother, who loved to dance.
The movie is currently available to watch in theatres.
