Related information and links: King Kong

King Kong is a major motion picture being made by New Zealand director Peter Jackson at Miramar Studios near Wellington.

Peter Jackson and partner Fran Walsh wrote an original draft of the screenplay back in 1996 for Universal Pictures, based on the original story by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The classic 1933 film staring Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong was also based on this story.

The film was delayed by Universal and Peter Jackson went on the develop and direct the Oscar winning Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The King Kong project was revived by Universal last year.

Jackson's version of the film will be set in 1933, and will star Hollywood actors Jack Black (School of Rock, High Fidelity) Naomi Watts (The Ring, 21 Grams) and Adrien Brody (The Pianist, The Village).

Actor Andy Sekis will provide motion capture reference for the character of Kong, who will eventually be realized as a completely CGI creature. Serkis held the same sort of role when he provided the voice and motion capture reference for the character 'Gollum' in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The film is due to be released worldwide on December 14, 2005.

"No film has captivated my imagination more than King Kong. I'm making movies today because I saw this film when I was 9 years old. It has been my sustained dream to reinterpret this classic story for a new age," Jackson said in a statement when the project was announced.

"The story of Kong offers everything that any storyteller could hope for: an archetypal narrative, thrilling action, resonating emotion and memorable characters. It has endured for precisely these reasons and I am honoured to be a part of its continuing legacy."

Principal cast


Naomi Watts: Ann Darrow

Jack Black: Carl Denham

Adrien Brody: Jack Driscoll

Jamie Bell: One of Denham's assistants

Andy Serkis: King Kong/Lumpy the Cook

Kyle Chandler: TBA

Stephen Hall: Key Venture Crew

Colin Hanks: Another one of Denham's assistants

Thomas Kretschmann: Captain Englehorn

Evan Parke: 1st Mate

John Sumner: Herb