Jul 27, 2009 by Mushy

Spirit Pictures Grabs the Rights to Kong: King of Skull Island

According to Variety Spirit Pictures picked up the rights to the book Kong: King of Skull Island as well as a project that was initially put together by special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen.

Kong: King of Skull Island is a prequel to the original King Kong story.

The book was written by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland. It covers the backstory of Skull Island and how King Kong got there.

The movie rights were brokered with the Merian C. Cooper family (they own the rights to the King Kong property). Merian Cooper co-directed the original King Kong from 1933.

Kong: King of Skull Island will be produced using motion-capture technology similar to such films as The Polar Express and Beowulf.

In addition to this, Spirit is putting together War Eagles. This is a project that Cooper and Harryhausen worked on together and almost made before the outbreak of WWII. The film is set in 1939 and follows an ace fighter-pilot who tests a new jet and crash-lands in the arctic. While there "he encounters a lost civilization that's been thriving there for centuries."

Currently, Andy Briggs is penning scripts for both films.


Sources: Variety

Do you like this story?

Comments (13)

  1. The First Avenger: JohnnyBlaze

    hmmm this is the first ive heard about this movie. could be awsome... only time will tell though

    3 years agoby @johnnyblazetb82Flag

  2. -comrade-

    Peter Jackson's King Kong was good for the first and last hour, but was all in all waaaaaaaaaaay too f*cking long.

    3 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  3. T.Clark

    Cell, Jackson did fantastic with his vision, you're just hesitant to say it because it goes against your "hate all remakes" stance.

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  4. CelluloidDreams

    Hmmmmm This could be bad or this could be good!!!! I'm open ...Huge fan of both 1976 film W./Jessica Lange ...& of course the 1933 "Orginial" with Fay Wray!!!

    Peter Jackson didn't do to bad W./his vision ... but I'm still very open to this!!

    3 years agoby @2movieguysFlag

  5. T.Clark

    It doesn't really matter if the movie is motion capture or not. To say that motion capture is the equivalent of a cartoon is completely demeaning. Look at the design of Beowulf and imagine that for Skull Island. I'm gearing up for it.

    Most films can go without motion capture for the entirety of the thing, but this is one I'm looking forward to. I really think Robert Zemeckis should do it seeing as how he's become experienced in motion capture, with Jackson at least producing.

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  6. Lock and Stock

    This will be sh*t, i don't really like watching films shot in CGI, because it demeans the purpose of the film with real people. A cartoon and film are very diffrent things, and King Kong is a film not a cartoon.

    3 years agoby @m-man360Flag

  7. The Narrator: The Better Man

    I'm with Leo, but I know I'll see it out of curiosity. Bummer about being so soon since Jackson's epic version.

    3 years agoby @narratorFlag

  8. ed_wood

    I pretty much agree with everything Vis said on the matter.

    3 years agoby @ed-woodFlag

  9. DasBoot

    If kong is still wrastling with more dinosaurs ill see it

    3 years agoby @dasbootFlag

  10. LEO: Lord Epsilon Omega

    Well, as far as the Kong universe goes, this movie won't really be needed and not many are familiar with the book. But I'll still see it.

    3 years agoby @epsalonFlag

  11. T.Clark

    Hopefully they use the same design of Kong from Jackson's film.

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  12. T.Clark

    This has a lot of potential. I haven't read "Kong:KoSI" but I have "The World of Kong" which is a detailed history of Skull Island with loads of awesome concept art. In this book, it accounts numerous other expeditions to the island before Carl Denham's team brought Kong back, setting up a prequel.

    This movie should be very cool to say the least if done well. Before Kong became the last of his kind, other giant apes roamed the island with him and the book I have illustrates the war between the Kongs and the "V-Rex," so I'll be expecting some more ape vs. reptile action.

    IGN states that Peter Jackson isn't involved at this time. That's a shame, his remake was excellent. However, this is motion capture...how much ya wanna bet Robert Zemeckis is handed the project? The guy seems to be fixated on motion capture now. It wouldn't be a bad thing, though.

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  13. Lock and Stock

    We will have to see, if Peter Jackson is not directing or involved, i don't think i could see it.

    3 years agoby @m-man360Flag

(More)Latest News
Iron Man 2 vs. Cloverfield Iron Man 2 vs. Cloverfield
(More)Recent Activity
(More)Most Commented Stories
(More)Top Rated Stories