The upcoming King Kong prequel – Skull Island – has been pushed back to 2017… and it’ll also be getting a (slightly) new name.
The project, now called Kong: Skull Island, has been bumped from its 4 November 2016 release date to a far more comfortable 10 March 2017. And while there are plenty of giant monster movies out there, it seems that Skull Island has been eclipsed by Marvel Studios.
That’s right folks – it’s assumed that Skull Island has been pushed back to avoid clashing with the upcoming Doctor Strange.
Starring Tom Hiddleston, the upcoming Kong: Skull Island will be “in the spirit of [Legendary’s] worldwide blockbuster ‘Godzilla’.” And apparently, it promises to “fully immerse audiences in the mysterious and dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the treacherous, primordial island.”
“Legendary’s story honors the foundations of existing King Kong lore,” they added. “But places it in an entirely new, distinct timeline.”
Of course, Godzilla writer Max Borenstein is on scriptwriting duty… and that’s already led many fans to wonder whether this could mean an eventual crossover – with King Kong going head-to-head with Godzilla, as in the classic 1962 King Kong vs. Godzilla.
Given that Legendary now owns the rights to both characters, it’s certainly not impossible. But will it actually happen? For now, we’ll have to wait and see.
Either way, Legendary seems to be making a name for itself when it comes to the big, epic monster movies… and with Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim sequel also scheduled for 2017, it could be an epic year for monster movie fans.
But will Kong: Skull Island live up to its predecessors? I can’t help wondering whether there’s really enough new ground… and after Peter Jackson’s recent King Kong remake, can it really leave a lasting impression?
For now, we’ll have to wait and see. But at least it’ll star Tom Hiddleston.
What do you think of the upcoming King Kong prequel? Will Kong: Skull Island be a box office smasher? Let us know what you think in the comments below…
