The Monkey ending explained: Who dies?

After a lifetime’s worth of death caused by the whims of a wind-up toy, The Monkey ending ups the ante and pits Hal and Bill against each other for one last showdown. (Warning: major spoilers ahead!)

The ending of The Monkey doesn’t answer all the questions. We never find out A) how the monkey gets its powers or B) how Hal and Bill’s dad came to be in possession of the toy. But then again, when the result is this fun, who cares about the lore?

The movie’s ending is also a huge departure from the original Stephen King book, in which Hal and his son (originally named Dennis) dump the monkey in a lake, killing all the fish.

However, the new movie‘s take on events is much more dramatic and action-packed. If you don’t believe us, here’s a full breakdown of everything that happens.

Hal and Petey are kidnapped

As Hal progressively starts freaking out about what the monkey’s return means for him and his son, there’s a knock at their motel door. It’s Ricky, the young man who initially sold the monkey back to Bill. But there’s a problem: he wants it back. (Such is the power of the monkey.)

Dressed in his father’s old uniform, he poses as a police officer and forces Hal and Petey into his car at gunpoint. His plan? To get them to sneak into Bill’s warehouse hideout and steal the monkey back for him.

Unfortunately, when they get there, only Petey is small enough to fit through the dog door, meaning Hal has to wait outside, held hostage by Ricky in his own car.

Petey manages to sneak in, narrowly avoiding Bill’s pre-planned booby traps. When he gets upstairs he finds Bill, a tormented and psychopathic version of the man he used to be. (With an excellent mullet.)

After getting to know his nephew, Bill does his best to persuade Petey to turn the key.

Rickey gets killed by bees

Back in the car, Hal is still being held by Ricky. When the latter gets too excited, he accidentally fires off the gun, leaving a large hole in the windshield.

Then, when Hal looks up, he spots a bee’s nest hanging from the tree just above them. (You can probably tell what’s going to happen next.) Anxious, he asks to move the car backward, but Ricky tells him to shut up.

Finally, upstairs, Petey reaches out and turns the key, causing the monkey to bang his drum.

Neon

Just as predicted, the nest falls onto the car. One lone bee crawls out, checking out the scene. Suddenly, the entire nest comes flying out at incredible speed…straight into Ricky’s mouth.

Ricky begins choking on the insects, and not long after, he’s dead. The bees then begin popping out of his skin, and his jaw falls apart, all while Hal looks on in horror. Quickly, he gets out and runs into the warehouse to save his son.

Bill’s plan for the monkey is revealed

When he gets there, Bill reveals his master plan. He’s always known what happened when they were kids, when Hal accidentally set the monkey on their mother in an attempt to kill Bill. As revenge for losing their one parent, he’s been on a lifelong search for the monkey, hoping to turn the key and kill Hal in return.

That’s why there’s been such a spike in local deaths. Bill’s been turning the key again and again, but despite his best efforts, the monkey never picks Hal as its next victim.

Neon

Bill, desperate and mad, grabs the monkey and attempts to make it bang on the drum. But you can’t force this monkey to do anything it doesn’t want to do, and it flies across the room. Suddenly, it starts banging on the drum at an incredible speed.

So, who’s the next victim? Well, this is answered when a small plane comes crashing into the roof of the warehouse. A woman (dressed in a bridal gown) comes crashing through the ceiling too, dead.

As Hal looks out onto the down, he sees destruction and despair. Fires are spreading, cars and planes are crashing, and there’s distant screams everywhere. The monkey has really done it now, sentencing everyone in the local area to death.

Bill gets a taste of his own medicine

Hal turns his attention to Bill, deciding to put the past behind them. He reminds Bill he lost his mother too. Bill eventually gives in, and after some “too slow” moves for old time’s sake, he finally shakes his brother’s hand and gets helped up.

However, this new agreement doesn’t last for long. One of Bill’s booby traps – a bowling ball suspended from the rafters – shoots into his head. He’s instantly killed in a bloody, fleshy explosion. (Mirroring young Hal’s fantasy of killing his brother in the same way earlier in the movie.)

Hal and Petey make it out alive

Hal and Petey leave, taking the monkey with them. Together, they accept that it’s their responsibility to ensure it’s kept hidden. Perhaps this is the only way it’ll never hurt anyone else.

As they drive away, the morning sun rises, and they can finally see the devastation for themselves. Prams on fire and dead bodies are scattered everywhere, and it’s clear they’re one of the few people left alive.

Neon

As they wait at a stop sign, they watch as a pale rider on a horse slowly rides past them. (“So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death.”)

Just as his mother did when he and Bill were kids, Hal tells Petey that they should go dancing. After all…everybody dies.

Together, the father and son drive into the distance. Once they’re gone, a bus carrying a team of cheerleaders goes past. As the girls shake their pom poms and cheer, a truck speeds past, cutting the torsos of the girls in half, leaving a bloody mess.

The Monkey is playing in theaters now.

For more, check out our guides to the best horror movies ever made. You can also check out the scariest-looking 2025 horror movies, and check out our list of the best Stephen King movies of all time.