EXCLUSIVE: Monkeypaw Productions, the production company of Oscar-winning genre maestro Jordan Peele, has undergone layoffs within its development department, multiple sources tell Deadline.
The layoffs have affected Christopher Rosati, Jamal M. Watson and Alex Kim, the company’s three Vice Presidents of Development and Production, as well as four to five junior staffers at the coordinator and assistant levels.
Word of layoffs at Monkeypaw comes ahead of the release of the company’s football-themed horror film Him, one of the most anticipated genre titles of the year, from director Justin Tipping. Aside from economic realities facing the entire industry in this moment, in a time of contraction, the reasoning behind the cuts hasn’t been made clear. Chatter about the company was widespread yesterday, with industry observers expecting that overhead at Monkeypaw had come down following a renegotiation of its overall deal with Universal Studio Group.
However, sources close to the situation insist that there has been no change in Monkeypaw’s USG overall deal. Inked in 2019, it it is believed to run through mid-next year.
Peele founded Monkeypaw in 2012, several years ahead of the conclusion of his lauded Comedy Central sketch series Key & Peele, as he reoriented his focus from performance to filmmaking, in the process quickly cementing himself as one of the most influential voices in contemporary cinema. Known for projects paring genre thrills with incisive social commentary, the company broke out with Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out, which grossed over $255 million worldwide against a reported budget of $4.5 million, scoring four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and a win for Peele’s original screenplay, in a rare feat for a genre film.
Since Get Out, Peele has helmed the 2019 doppelganger horror flick Us — which wowed with its $70.3 million domestic opening, one of the best for any original film in recent memory, on its way to over $216 million worldwide — and the alien invasion-themed Nope, which grossed over $171M in 2022. Described by industry insiders as a highly methodical filmmaker who takes his time with development, Peele was originally set to unveil an untitled fourth feature, which remains a complete mystery, in December 2024. Following the double strike, the project was pushed back to October 23, 2026.
Monkeypaw’s upcoming Him follows a promising young football player (former college athlete Tyriq Withers) who is invited to train at the isolated compound of a dynasty team’s aging QB1 (Marlon Wayans), learning from him the kinds of sacrifice that greatness demands. Based on a Black List script by Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie, the film is due to hit theaters September 19.
