Last week, we reported the surprising news that Legendary Pictures has moved its highly-anticipatedKing KongprequelKong: Skull Islandfrom its new studio home, Universal Pictures, to its former home, Warner Bros. The move back to Warner Bros. will help set up a new project,Godzilla Vs King Kong, which will reportedly go into production afterGodzilla 2, set for a June 2018 release. Today we have news fromThe Hollywood Reporter, revealing thatKong: Skull Islandwill actually help set upGodzilla Vs King Kong, with references to 2014’sGodzilla.
The report reveals that theKong: Skull Islandscript features references to Monarch, the monster-hunting agency fromGodzilla, which Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins) worked for. It isn’t known how Monarch fits into theKong: Skull Islanduniverse, or if this means thatKen WatanabeandSally Hawkins’s characters will return to reprise their roles inKong: Skull Island. Still, this report reveals there is one massive problem that needs to be addressed beforeGodzilla Vs King Kongtruly moves forward.
King Kong is said to be much, much smaller thanGodzilla, which Universal would often acknowledge, and may be one of the reasons they ultimately passed on the project, causing Legendary’sThomas Tullto take it back to Legendary’s former studio home, Warner Bros. One Universal source claimed executives made “funny comments” that King Kong needed to be the size of the Empire State Building to fight Godzilla, instead of hanging off it. Sources close toThomas Tullreveal the executive is confident he can come up with a logical reason for both Kong and Godzilla to do battle, and possibly become allies as well.
All that we know aboutKong: Skull Islandat this point is that the story will follow a group of explorers who visit King Kong’s homeland.Tom Hiddleston,Brie Larson,Samuel L. Jackson,Tom Wilkinson,Corey Antonio Hawkins,John C. Reilly,Jason MitchellandToby Kebbellare attached to star, but it isn’t known when production may begin.Jordan Vogt-Robertsis directing from a script byJohn GatinsandMax Borenstein, withJurassic WorldwriterDerek Connollycoming aboard to rewrite the script. Early reports calledKong: Skull Islanda period piece, with the events taking place in 1970s Detroit. With the 2014Godzillataking place in modern times, it isn’t known ifKong: Skull Islandwill still be set in that bygone decade, or if the story has been changed. If Kong still takes place in the 70s, that’s one more slight discrepancy that will need to be worked out.
Kong: Skull Islandis set to hit theaters June 28, 2025, whileGodzilla 2has a June 2, 2018release datealready set.Gareth Edwardsreturning to directGodzilla 2from a script byMax Borenstein, although it isn’t confirmed whichcast membersare coming back for this follow-up. Are you excited to see howKong: Skull Islandwill set upGodzilla Vs King Kong? Let us know what you think, and stay tuned for more details.
