Next week, Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey finally hits theaters in all its drumroll, gory glory. Most of us will probably see it in theaters or on TV when it hits VOD and streaming. But for others, they may be blessed with the opportunity to watch it in their church.
See, Neon’s letting audiences sign their place of congregation up to screen the horror movie and watch it on hallowed ground. All you need to do is fill out the form and answer three questions: explain why the church should get to screen The Monkey (in 100 words or less), answer if salvation comes through faith or film, and say what the “greatest sin of all” is. (It’s not really a question, it’s “using your phone in a movie theater,” which, completely valid.) Only “authorized religious institutions” are eligible, so you probably can’t just declare your house a church and call it there.
It’s the silliest marketing gimmick for what looks like an extremely silly movie, gruesome deaths and all. But unconventional, sometimes cheeky marketing is apparently what Neon’s just doing now: Longlegs famously had cryptic trailers and a phone number that directed you to pre-recorded messages from Nicolas Cage. Immaculate, the studio’s other big 2024 horror flick, was promoted with the negative reviews from devout Christians displeased with its take on religious horror. (One review was even printed on a t-shirt, which no, you can’t buy.)
The Monkey hits theaters on Friday, so if you want to make an event out of seeing it, go on and apply.
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