Anyone reading this article is looking forward to Deadpool & Wolverine; that’s a given. The movie, set for a July 2024 release, will see the two most iconic superheroes from the Fox movie universe make the leap to the MCU, and that’s undoubtedly a fascinating prospect.
However, even the most ardent fans of all things Marvel have probably allowed a particular television series to sneak under their radars. That series is Hit-Monkey, and make no mistake: If you’re looking forward to Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s the kind of series that is right up your street.
So, who or what is Hit-Monkey?
Before you go any further, check out the trailer for Hit-Monkey above. Awesome, right?!
Although he is, admittedly, little-known in mainstream circles, Hit-Monkey is indeed a Marvel property based on a comic book character of the same name. He first appeared in April 2010 as the eponymous character in Hit-Monkey #1 and has been on many weird and wonderful adventures since then.
Inspired by Agent 47 from the Hitman video game franchise, he’s a Japanese macaque who learned his lethal skills by watching an assassin train and imitating him. After witnessing his troop of fellow macaques murdered by another cold-blooded group of killers, he decides to dedicate his life to eliminating assassins under the guise of Hit-Monkey.
Like many other Marvel characters, Hit-Monkey finds his way to New York City. It’ll surprise nobody that such a wacky character crosses paths with the famously funny duo Deadpool and Spider-Man — specifically because Deadpool is on the deadly primate’s hit list, prompting Spidey to reluctantly team up with the Merc with a Mouth to stop him.
The first ten-episode series of Hit-Monkey was released on Hulu in November 2021. Tragically, it went under the radar of Marvel fans.
However, the series did receive critical acclaim for its brilliant animation. Its humor and violent action, strikingly similar to those of the Deadpool movies, were also praised. This is precisely why any fan of those films should check it out.
Rather intriguingly, a second series is scheduled for release on July 15, 2024 — conveniently 11 days before Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26.
Hopefully, given Deadpool’s switch to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ryan Reynolds’ character will appear in Hit-Monkey going forward. If their interactions in the comic books are anything to go by, that would be wildly entertaining in an animated series. Although, given the series was initially pitched to Marvel as a movie, there’s just as much of a chance Hit-Monkey could appear in live-action first.