<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $43 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $47.2 million </Td> </Tr> <P> A Monster Calls is a 2016 dark fantasy drama film directed by J.A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness, based on his novel of the same name . The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson, and tells the story of Conor (MacDougall), a child whose mother (Jones) is terminally ill; one night, he is visited by a giant tree - like monster (Neeson), who states that he will come back and tell Conor three stories . </P> <P> A Monster Calls premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2016 . It was then released in Spain on October 7, 2016, and in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2017 . In the United States, the film began a limited release in on December 23, 2016, followed by a wide release on January 6, 2017 . It received positive reviews, being praised for its themes, directing, performances and visual effects . The film has grossed $47.2 million worldwide . </P>

Who was the tree in a monster calls