Monster movies have made something of a comeback of late, with Pacific Rim and Godzilla already having stormed the box office in the past few years. And then there are exciting projects like Jurassic World on the horizon. But rest assured, the rebirth of the blockbuster monster movie isn't going to stop with Jurassic World. In the past six months or so, word has also begun to trickle out regarding an interesting prequel/reboot to Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong, and the early word is pretty exciting. Here's a bit on what we know so far.
For starters, it appears that the tentative title says a great deal about the film, rather than simply being a name. That title is Kong: Skull Island, and it speaks to the evident situation of the film's events before the discovery and capture of King Kong as we've seen it on big screens before. According to Screenrant, an early teaser at Comic Con took the approach of quoting Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness, showing off a secret tropical island and discussing a lone beast driven mad in the wild. Now, there will be human involvement, presumably in the form of a stray team of explorers. However, it certainly sounds like this version of the monster classic will be more about the homeland, so to speak.
Another major thing we know about Kong: Skull Island is that it seems as if it will have little or nothing to do with Peter Jackson's film. King Kong was distributed by Universal Pictures, and despite a fine reception by critics and fans, it has since become oddly forgotten. There is a popular online casino game based on the film and hosted by Betfair, and you can visit the site to take a look. Basically, it applies the characters and audio themes from King Kong to an ordinary slot machine apparatus. The game remains popular today, but beyond this example there's very little leftover from Jackson's film: no sequel, no direct reboot, no major award recognition to look back on (aside from four Oscars for technical excellence). And the new film isn't going to change that. With Legendary Pictures in charge and Jackson apparently not attached, this is a completely new project, which means it may look quite different than what some fans will expect.
As for the film itself, we don't know a whole lot of detail regarding the plot. However, it feels safe to say that whichever direction it takes, it'll be compelling. This is because the early cast listings for Kong: Skull Island are extremely impressive. You can check out the IMDB page for the film in the coming months as more actors and actresses are sure to be picked and revealed, but for now that cast is a small collection of all-star actors: J.K. Simmons, Michael Keaton, and Tom Hiddleston. Simmons is fresh off an Oscar win for Best Actor In A Supporting Role for his excellent performance in Whiplash; Keaton was nominated for Best Actor for the ultimate Best Picture winner Birdman; and Hiddleston has become a fan favorite largely due to his amusing, engaging presence as Marvel villain Loki. That's quite a group, and one that should guarantee a certain degree of seriousness and qu ality in the upcoming movie.
At this point, though, that's about it. Jordan Vogt-Roberts, best known for The Kings Of Summer, is evidently on board to direct, and there's some uncertainty as to the expected release date. Some sources are saying 2016, and others 2017. But even with the little we know so far, it looks like we're in for a big, fresh monster flick revolving around the beloved beast King Kong and his natural habitat.
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