14 years afterMonkended, the film sequelMr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Moviereinvigorated the fandom – but it wasn’t enough. Though the film (along with the series finale) provided some amount of closure, it also arguably opened the door for the beloved franchise to be continued with anotherMonkmovie. There is still plenty of unexplored territory in theMonkuniverse, including the potential to bring back one of its many iconic guest actors.
In “Mr. Monk and the Big Game,” the series featured an unexpectedMonkcameo from Jennifer Lawrence in the role of a mascot. Though her cougar costume rendered the young star unrecognizable for the majority of the appearance, the episode served as one of Lawrence’s first television roles. It is because of this origin that, out of all the famousMonkguest stars, Lawrence would be the best option for a reprisal role in aMonkmovie sequel. Having Jennifer Lawrence star in a second film would bring things full circle given that her career success began with this minor guest appearance inMonk.
Jennifer Lawrence Appearing In A Monk Movie Would Be A Hilarious Full Circle Moment
MonkWas Her Television Debut
Monkseason 5, episode 3, “Mr. Monk and the Big Game” premiered in July 2006, Lawrence’s first year of professional acting. Though it was not until 2010 that a breakthrough role came forJennifer Lawrence in the movieWinter’s Bone, this guest appearance inMonkwas certainly an integral step along the way, leading her to recurring TV roles in the following years. In this episode, Lawrence plays the mascot for Julie Teeger’s (Emmy Clarke) high school basketball team, the Cougars, and hilariously pounces on Mr. Monk’s (Tony Shalhoub) back during a game.
For die-hardMonkfans who remember this iconic cameo, casting Jennifer Lawrence in a movie sequel toMr. Monk’s Last Casewould be a cute way to pay homage to both the original show and the actor’s impressive success since this minor guest appearance. That’s not to mention the potential for a sequel to bring back the myriad of other famous guest stars who once appeared onMonk. Tim Curry and Snoop Dogg would be particularly good comedic choices.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Comic Talent Means She Would Be Perfect For Another Monk Role
Her Balance Of Dramatic And Comedic Skills Is Perfect ForMonk
It would be amazingto see Jennifer Lawrence’s comedic potential played out in aMonkmovie.The broad range of emotions Lawrence is capable of portraying – as seen by her dramatic performances in titles such asSilver Linings PlaybookandThe Hunger Games– is complemented by her effortless comedic ability. This would make her an excellent match for aMonksequel film, given the series' expert balance of quirky comedy and emotionally heavy themes.
Furthermore, if aMr. Monk’s Last Casesequelwereto happen and Jennifer Lawrence was cast, there is one more truly artful comedic move that could be made by creators Randy Zisk and Andy Breckman. Lawrence initially thought her guest appearance would be as one of the two Emily’s in ”Mr. Monk and the Big Game.” She soon discovered she would instead be playing the Cougars mascot, but casting Lawrence in modern day as a character named Emily would be the best possible way to bring her 2006Monkcameo full circle.
Monk
Cast
Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
