14 years after Monk ended, the film sequel Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie reinvigorated 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 another Monk movie. There is still plenty of unexplored territory in the Monk universe, including the potential to bring back one of its many iconic guest actors.
In “Mr. Monk and the Big Game,” the series featured an unexpected Monk cameo 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 famous Monk guest stars, Lawrence would be the best option for a reprisal role in a Monk movie 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 in Monk.
Jennifer Lawrence Appearing In A Monk Movie Would Be A Hilarious Full Circle Moment
Monk Was Her Television Debut
Monk season 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 for Jennifer Lawrence in the movie Winter’s Bone, this guest appearance in Monk was 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-hard Monk fans who remember this iconic cameo, casting Jennifer Lawrence in a movie sequel to Mr. Monk’s Last Case would 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 on Monk. 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 For Monk
It would be amazing to see Jennifer Lawrence’s comedic potential played out in a Monk movie. The broad range of emotions Lawrence is capable of portraying – as seen by her dramatic performances in titles such as Silver Linings Playbook and The Hunger Games – is complemented by her effortless comedic ability. This would make her an excellent match for a Monk sequel film, given the series' expert balance of quirky comedy and emotionally heavy themes.
Furthermore, if a Mr. Monk's Last Case sequel were to 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 2006 Monk cameo full circle.
