Tony Shalhoub Returning As Mr. Monk After Last Case?
Tony Shalhoub may not be done playing private detective Adrian Monk just yet, as series creator Andy Breckman is open to exploring another chapter in the character’s story. “[Monk] is my retirement plan,” he said during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders Television, where the reunion film, Mr. Monk’s Last Case, was discussed at length.
Tony Shalhoub Had His Reservations About Returning To Monk
The 70-year-old Tony Shalhoub explained that he had some doubts about revisiting the role for Mr. Monk’s Last Case and wanted it to have a bigger feel than an episode of the series. “At first, it sounded kind of risky,” he said. “We wanted to raise the stakes. We did not just want to come back with episode 126. We wanted this to be more special. We wanted it to be kind of an event, for the scale to be larger.”
Knew He Made The Right Choice Once Filming Began
When he was happy with the script, Tony Shalhoub easily stepped back into character and was ready to start filming. “[Revisiting the role] was a bit daunting,” the actor continued. But Andy came up with this great script and there was such positive energy from Peacock. Everybody was excited to revisit it. By the time got to shooting on first day, we were revved up. It didn’t take long to fall back in.”
While Brekman is open to creating more Monk content, there are no official plans to revive the series or develop more movies. As such, Mr. Monk’s Last Case could still be a farewell story for Tony Shalhoub’s character. Directed by Randy Zisk, the movie served as a sequel to the USA Network television series.
Mr. Monk’s Last Case Is Streaming On Peacock
Written by series creator Andy Breckman, Mr. Monk’s Last Case follows Adrian Monk, a private detective with obsessive compulsive disorder, who returns to work to solve a case involving his stepdaughter. Along with Tony Shalhoub, the movie sees Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Ted Levine reprising their roles from the series. The film debuted on Peacock in December 2023.
The Series Ran For 8 Successful Seasons
Billed as a comedy-drama, Monk initially aired on the USA Network from July 2002 to December 2009. Starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular detective, the series had a successful eight-season run with 125 episodes. The story follows Adrian Monk, who works with the San Francisco Police Department to solve various cases while investigating the unsolved murder of his wife.
Monk was widely praised by critics, and the series won several awards, including eight Emmys, one Golden Globe, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. The two-part series finale hit screens in 2009 and holds the record for the most-watched scripted cable drama from 2009 to 2012. The series is currently available on various streaming services.
Mr. Monk And The Pandemic
In 2020, Tony Shalhoub returned to the role in a short film showcasing how his character would cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. The project titled Mr. Monk Shelters in Place paved the way for the Peacock network to produce Mr. Monk’s Last Case. Along with returning cast members, Caitlin McGee and James Purefoy also appeared in the film.
Tony Shalhoub’s Hollywood Career
Before his role in Monk, Tony Shalhoub made his television debut in 1986 in The Equalizer. He later became a regular on the NBC comedy Wings from 1991 to 1997, playing taxi driver Antonio Scarpacci. He also had supporting roles in films like Barton Fink, Big Night, Men in Black, Thirteen Ghosts, Spy Kids, and Galaxy Quest.
After Monk, Tony Shalhoub continued to act in films and television. He had a recurring role in the Amazon Prime series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He also starred in the CBS summer series Brain Dead.
Source: Deadline
