A Monster Calls is a 2016 dark fantasy drama film directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness, based on his 2011 novel of the same name, which in turn was based on an original idea by Siobhan Dowd. The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson, and tells the story of Conor, a child whose mother is terminally ill; one night, he is visited by a monster in the form of a giant anthropomorphic yew tree, who states that he will come back and tell Conor three stories. The film is an international co-production between Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.