Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel is on his way to solidifying himself as an action hero. After starring in 2024’s Monkey Man, Patel’s next feature, the revenge action-thriller The Peasant, has been acquired by A24 the day before the Cannes market, per Deadline.
The deal was a competitive one that closed in the range of $30 million in a Cannes market low on action movies this year. The Peasant will be up for sale in international markets in the near future. Patel will not only star in The Peasant, but also co-wrote the script for the film with Will Dunn (Ms. Marvel), and will direct the movie.
The project is described as having elements of Braveheart and John Wick, and a King Arthur feel to it. The film is expected to shoot later this year, and there are rumors that The Peasant could become its own franchise. This isn’t the first time that Patel has worked with A24, as they teamed up on 2021’s The Green Knight.
The Film Will be Set in the Middle Ages
The Peasant features a script that mixes medieval knights with feudal India. The film will be set in the 1300s and focuses on a shepherd who sets out on an anger-fueled quest to take on a group of mercenary knights who destroyed his community.
Patel will produce The Peasant under his Minor Realm banner and will also reunite the actor/filmmaker with producers Thunder Road, which also produced Monkey Man. Graham Taylor, Chris Rice, Christopher Slager, Dan Guando will executive produce for Fifth Season. Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Charlie Morrison will executive produce for Thunder Road Pictures.
Monkey Man Was a Critical Hit
Last year’s Monkey Man was the directorial debut for Patel, who also co-wrote the script. The film followed Patel’s character, Kid, who seeks vengeance on India’s corrupt government and spiritual leaders for his mother’s death. Kid assumes the identity of the White Monkey after earning money by competing in an underground fighting ring. He then goes on a mission to avenge the people marginalized by the leaders. Monkey Man is currently “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with an 89% critic score, although it earned just $35.2 million at the box office.
Monkey Man (2024)
|
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
IMDb Rating |
|
89% |
81% |
6.8/10 |
A Monkey Man Sequel?
After the film’s critical success, the Slumdog Millionaire actor talked about whether a sequel to Monkey Man would be coming in the future.
“I’m trying not to get ahead of myself,” Patel told Variety in a previous interview. “I know this sounds like a cliché, but just to…birth this little thing, it’s been a huge undertaking. This is all a dream come true,” he said of the movie. He added that the film took a toll on him physically. “I broke my hand in the first big action scene, broke some toes, tore a shoulder, eye infections, bruises,” he said.
Patel, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Lion (2016), was recently seen in Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2025) with Benedict Cumberbatch and Three More and Bryn Chainey’s horror film, Rabbit Trap (2025).
Monkey Man is streaming on Prime Video.
