Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

The Monkey’s Paw (2013) movie poster

Timeline

The Monkey’s Paw (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 88 mins · English
Loading streaming availability…
Directed by
Brett Simmons
Starring
Stephen Lang, Corbin Bleu, Kerry Cahill, John Lewis, Charles S. Dutton, Grayson Berry

After obtaining a mysterious monkey’s paw capable of granting three wishes, Jake Tilton soon discovers the devastating consequences of tampering with fate. His initial wishes bring back his former coworker, Tony Cobb, but the resurrected man’s presence unleashes a series of tragic events. As Cobb’s demands intensify and his actions become increasingly violent, Jake must find a way to stop him and protect his family from the paw’s dark power.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
Loading streaming availability…

15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Monkey’s Paw Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Monkey’s Paw (2013) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Gillespie is fired; blame falls on Jake

    Kevin fires supervisor Gillespie after poor performance at Trident Supply. Gillespie blames Jake and the others, saying their failures made him look bad. The firing heightens tension between management and the shop floor.

    When
    Late afternoon
    Where
    Trident Supply, Louisiana
  2. Bar after work reveals personal tensions and a mysterious car

    Outside a bar, Cobb mentions that his ex-wife Abby has a restraining order preventing him from seeing their son Corey. The group notices a GT Mustang in the parking lot, signaling a tempting prize. The mood is tense as personal resentments mix with workplace stress.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Bar parking lot, Louisiana
  3. Gillespie introduces the paw and passes it to Jake

    Gillespie tells them the talisman grants three wishes and hands the monkey's paw to Jake. He warns that the paw's power comes with grave consequences. The moment plants the seed for the dark chain of events to come.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Gillespie's location, Louisiana
  4. Cobb persuades Jake to take the Mustang for a joyride

    Cobb finds the keys in the Mustang and convinces Jake to take it for a quick spin. The car's power tempts them beyond prudence. They set off, chasing a thrill that will soon turn deadly.

    When
    Night
    Where
    GT Mustang, parking lot
  5. The crash and Cobb's death; a wish is uttered

    Jake swerves to miss an alligator and crashes into a tree, killing Cobb. In shock, Jake briefly wishes Cobb were not dead, which marks the moment the paw's magic makes itself felt. Cobb's body lies still, but the tale is far from over.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Rural road, Louisiana
  6. Cobb reanimates and begins a killing spree; Jake discards the paw

    Cobb returns to life and immediately kills a woman who helps him, signaling the paw's terrible second chance. Jake, terrified by the consequences, tosses the paw away in frustration. The resurrected Cobb resumes his pursuit, escalating the danger.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Various locations; first attack at the woman's home
  7. Morning: Detective Margolis notices Jake near the station

    Detective Margolis spots Jake outside the police station, contemplating whether to report Cobb's death. Jake leaves without making a formal report, keeping the affair quiet for now. The investigation begins to whisper that something else is behind the strange events.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Outside the police station, Louisiana
  8. Cobb confronts Olivia about Corey

    Cobb pressures his ex-wife Olivia to allow him access to Corey, arguing for the sake of family. The confrontation reveals Cobb's desperation and willingness to push boundaries. Olivia's response foreshadows the danger closing in on everyone involved.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Olivia's residence
  9. Cobb and Jake meet in a cemetery; plan for Corey

    Jake finds Cobb in a cemetery, where Cobb reveals his intent to use the final wish to reunite with Corey. The conversation deepens Cobb's fixation on family and control. Jake realizes the paw's final wish will come with a terrible price.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Cemetery, Louisiana
  10. Cobb murders Kevin and Jake's mother to unburden Jake

    Cobb uses the paw's influence to kill Kevin by placing his head in a machine press. He also murders Jake's cancer-stricken mother to relieve Jake's medical burdens. The brutal spree demonstrates the paw's devastating reach.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Kevin's office and Jake's home
  11. Jake's family flees town to stay safe

    Realizing the danger is closing in, Jake persuades his brother Charlie and Charlie's wife Sandy to leave town temporarily. The move buys time but fractures family life. The paw's consequences ripple through every relationship involved.

    When
    Soon after
    Where
    Louisiana town
  12. Gillespie explains the paw's curse to Jake

    Jake visits Gillespie to learn the full truth about the paw and its curse. Gillespie confirms that wishes come with grave consequences and urges restraint. The revelation hardens Jake's resolve to protect his family at any cost.

    When
    Later
    Where
    Gillespie's location
  13. Cobb kills Gillespie and targets Charlie and Sandy

    Cobb murders Gillespie, eliminating a potential barrier and escalating the chase. He then sets his sights on Charlie and Sandy, deepening the threat to Jake's circle. The chase pushes toward a final confrontation.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Gillespie's residence
  14. Detective Margolis pursues the case and is killed

    Margolis grows convinced Cobb is the killer and tries to intervene to protect Olivia. Cobb kills Margolis in a confrontation, removing a key obstacle for the killer. The investigation closes in on Jake and Olivia.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Street, Louisiana
  15. Final confrontation: third wish, Cobb's death, paw's fate

    Jake confronts Cobb outside Abby's home as Olivia is held hostage. He uses the third wish to return Cobb's soul, triggering Cobb's suicide after stabbing Olivia. Jake is wounded and taken away by ambulance, while the paw ends up in Corey's hand as Abby and Corey drive away.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Outside Abby's home

Last updated: December 18, 2025 at 13:19

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

The Monkey’s Paw Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Monkey’s Paw (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Tony Cobb become violent after being resurrected?

The monkey's paw resurrects Cobb as an unstable, corrupted version of himself. When Jake wishes for Cobb not to be dead, the paw grants the wish in the most twisted way possible, bringing Cobb back with violent impulses and an obsessive drive to fulfill his deepest desires, particularly to see his son Corey. The resurrection is not a true restoration but a cursed reanimation that amplifies his darkest traits.

Foreshadowing: Gillespie warns that the paw grants wishes but at a terrible price, foreshadowing that any wish granted will have devastating consequences.

  • tony cobb
  • resurrection
  • violence
  • monkey's paw curse
  • resurrected
Q2

What are the rules of the monkey's paw in the movie?

The paw grants three wishes, but each wish comes with a dark twist that serves the literal interpretation rather than the intended spirit. The first wish for the car leads to Cobb's death and resurrection. The second wish (Jake wishing Cobb wasn't dead) brings back a violent, corrupted version of Cobb. The third wish to return Cobb's soul results in Cobb's suicide. The paw's power accelerates tragedy rather than delivering true happiness.

  • monkey's paw
  • rules
  • wishes
  • three wishes
  • curse
  • supernatural
Q3

Why does Cobb kill Kevin and Jake's mother?

Cobb believes he is helping Jake by removing his problems. Kevin was married to Jake's ex-wife Olivia, and Cobb kills him to potentially reunite Jake with Olivia. Cobb also kills Jake's cancer-stricken mother to relieve Jake of the financial and emotional burden of her medical care. However, these acts reveal how the paw corrupts Cobb's judgment, he interprets helping Jake through violent, twisted solutions that only cause more tragedy.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Cobb pressures Olivia about seeing Corey, showing his willingness to push boundaries for family.

  • cobb kills
  • kevin
  • jake's mother
  • murders
  • help jake
  • corrupted logic
Q4

How does Jake use the third wish to stop Cobb?

Jake uses the third wish to force Cobb's soul to return, essentially demanding that Cobb's consciousness be restored to what it once was before the corruption. This breaks Cobb's violent hold on reality, causing him to stab Olivia in a final act of madness before the weight of his own actions causes him to take his own life with Jake's gun. The wish effectively ends Cobb's reign of terror but comes at a devastating cost.

Foreshadowing: Jake and Cobb previously discussed the final wish in the cemetery, where Cobb revealed his intent to use it to reunite with Corey.

  • third wish
  • jake
  • cobb
  • stop cobb
  • return soul
  • final wish
Q5

Why does the monkey's paw end up with Corey at the end?

The paw ends up in Corey's hand as Abby and Corey drive away from their home, suggesting the curse has passed to the next victim. This bleak ending implies the cycle of tragedy will continue, as Corey now possesses the powerful but cursed talisman that twists wishes into nightmares. The paw's final positioning in a child's hands emphasizes the story's fatalistic and inescapable nature.

Foreshadowing: Cobb's obsession with using the final wish to reunite with Corey foreshadows the paw's connection to the child.

  • corey
  • monkey's paw
  • ending
  • child
  • curse continues
  • final scene
Q6

Why does Cobb commit suicide at the end?

When Jake uses the third wish to return Cobb's soul, it restores Cobb's awareness of the terrible things he has done while corrupted. Confronted with the full weight of his murders, including killing Kevin, Gillespie, Margolis, and others, Cobb is overwhelmed with guilt and chooses to take his own life with Jake's gun. The wish forces him to face his actions, which he cannot live with, leading to his suicide.

Foreshadowing: Cobb's increasingly violent actions throughout the film build toward this moment of psychological breaking.

  • cobb suicide
  • third wish
  • guilt
  • return soul
  • final confrontation
Q7

What causes the car crash that kills Cobb?

While joyriding in the stolen GT Mustang, Jake swerves to avoid an alligator in the road, causing the car to veer and crash into a tree. The crash throws Cobb through the windshield, killing him instantly. This tragic accident sets the entire chain of events in motion, as Jake's desperate wish to reverse Cobb's death is what brings about the curse's devastation.

  • car crash
  • alligator
  • cobb death
  • joyride
  • gti mustang
  • accident
Q8

Why does Jake wish for Cobb to come back to life?

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Jake is overcome with guilt and desperation. Cobb was his friend and coworker, and watching him die so suddenly triggers Jake to make a desperate, irrational wish for Cobb not to be dead. This wish is made without understanding the paw's true nature, and the paw grants it in the most catastrophic way possible, returning Cobb as a violent, corrupted being.

Foreshadowing: Gillespie warns Jake about the paw's power moments before Jake makes the wish, but Jake acts recklessly in his grief.

  • jake wishes
  • cobb alive
  • reverse death
  • desperate wish
  • grief
Q9

What warning does Gillespie give about the monkey's paw?

Gillespie tells Jake and Cobb that the paw grants three wishes but comes with a grave price, he warns that the paw's power brings tragedy rather than happiness. He describes it as a curse that accelerates misfortune. Despite his warning, Gillespie hands the paw to Jake, suggesting either a desire to test the curse or a belief that someone else must experience its power. His warnings prove accurate as the wishes lead to death and violence.

Foreshadowing: Gillespie's cautionary tale about the paw's consequences sets up the tragic chain of events that follows.

  • gillespie
  • warning
  • monkey's paw
  • curse
  • danger
  • consequence
Q10

Why does Cobb want to use the final wish to see his son?

Cobb is driven by his desperate desire to see his young son Corey, whom his ex-wife Abby has kept from him due to a restraining order. This longing is the deepest emotional wound in Cobb's life, and the paw exploits this desire. Cobb believes that if he uses the final wish, he can force a reunion with Corey. However, this obsession also leads him to kill anyone who stands in his way, including Kevin and Jake's mother.

Foreshadowing: At the bar, Cobb reveals his frustration about the restraining order preventing him from seeing Corey.

  • cobb
  • corey
  • son
  • final wish
  • ex-wife
  • restraining order
  • family
Q11

How does Detective Margolis die in the movie?

Detective Margolis investigates the string of murders connected to Cobb and grows increasingly convinced of Cobb's guilt. While trying to protect Olivia and bring her to safety, Margolis confronts Cobb and is killed by him. Margolis serves as the law enforcement presence that attempts to stop Cobb's killing spree but falls victim to the same violence that has consumed the others.

Foreshadowing: Margolis spots Jake outside the police station early in the film, suggesting his involvement in the case.

  • detective margolis
  • killed
  • cobb
  • police
  • murder investigation

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Monkey’s Paw, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Monkey’s Paw tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about cursed wishes like The Monkey’s Paw

Stories where a single supernatural act unleashes an unstoppable chain of tragedy. If you liked The Monkey’s Paw, you'll find similar terrifying tales here. These movies feature characters who unleash supernatural forces with devastating consequences, leading to bleak and violent outcomes. Explore stories about cursed objects, dark bargains, and the cruel irony of fate that share the same desperate and dreadful atmosphere.

  • supernatural dread
  • fatalistic
  • desperate
  • grim
  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, fatalistic, grim
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a character gaining access to a supernatural power, often through an object or a ritual. Their initial wish or action seems beneficial but is twisted by the dark power, leading to horrific and unintended consequences. The story follows a linear, escalating path of tragedy as the characters struggle in vain to control or undo the curse, culminating in a catastrophic and often bleak conclusion.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared focus on the inescapable and cruel logic of supernatural consequences. They create a cohesive experience through a dark tone, fast pacing that escalates the horror, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from irreversible loss. The central theme of tampering with fate binds these stories together, making them feel thematically and emotionally similar.

Fast-paced paranoid thrillers like The Monkey’s Paw

Thrillers where a protagonist's life spirals into violent chaos they can't control. Fans of The Monkey’s Paw will appreciate these similarly tense and fast-paced thrillers. Discover movies where a protagonist makes a fateful choice that plunges them into a desperate fight for survival against an escalating threat. These films share a high-intensity, grim atmosphere and a feeling of being trapped in a situation spinning violently out of control.

  • paranoid
  • anxious
  • desperate
  • tense
  • unsettling
  • grim
  • Tone: dark, tense, anxious
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is typically straightforward and driven by a clear inciting incident that shatters the protagonist's normal life. A threat, often personified by a single antagonist, is introduced and quickly begins making escalating demands, leading to a series of violent confrontations. The narrative structure is linear and fast-paced, with little respite, focusing on the protagonist's increasingly desperate attempts to end the cycle of violence before it consumes everything.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared visceral experience: a fast-paced, high-intensity narrative that creates a persistent feeling of paranoia and anxiety. The combination of a dark tone, straightforward plot progression, and a heavy emotional focus on survival and protection creates a cohesive and gripping vibe. The unrelenting tension and bleak outlook are key connectors.

Every angle

The Monkey’s Paw (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Monkey’s Paw in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app