A Monster Calls is a dark fantasy drama movie directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness, based on his 2011 novel of the same name and an original idea by Siobhan Dowd.
The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson and tells the story of Conor (MacDougall), a young boy whose mother (Jones) is terminally ill; one night, he is visited by a monster in the form of a giant anthropomorphic yew tree (Neeson), who promises to return and tell Conor three stories. The film is a joint venture between Spain, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.
On September 10, 2016, A Monster Calls had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. On October 7, 2016, it was released in Spain, and on January 1, 2017, it was released in the United Kingdom.
The movie had a limited release in the United States on December 23, 2016, followed by a wide release on January 6, 2017. It garnered good reviews for its themes, directing, performances, and visual effects, but it disappointed at the box office, generating $47 million worldwide on a $43 million budget.
On September 30, 2014, principal photography commenced in Spain and the United Kingdom. Filming in Preston, Lancashire, Rivington Pike (Chorley/Horwich), Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and Marsden, West Yorkshire began on October 9th.
A Monster Calls earned $3.7 million in the United States and Canada and $43.5 million in other markets for a worldwide total of $47.2 million, despite a $43 million production budget.
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