King Kong is coming to the small screen in the form of a live-action TV series. Eighty-four years after Merian C. Cooper’s hulking ape creation made its debut on the big screen, King Kong has been enjoying a renaissance thanks to the blockbuster global reception of Kong: Skull Island. With a running take of $161. 2 million at the domestic box office and $390.9 million in foreign territories (for current global haul of $552 million), Kong has become a key element in Warner Bros.' MonsterVerse franchise, which will continue with Godzilla sequel Godzilla: King of Monsters in 2019 and Godzilla vs. Kong in 2020.
Now it appears that King Kong's resurgence won't be limited to the big screen. In a press release from IM Global Television and MarVista Entertainment Tuesday, the companies announced the live-action TV series King Kong Skull Island. The show is not connected to the MonsterVerse and is described as a "serialized, contemporary continuation of the classic with a female-led, multi-cultural ensemble that delves fully into the wonders and horrors of Skull Island and its origins."
The series is based on Cooper's King Kong and DeVito ArtWorks’ Skull Island. IM Global and MarVista will develop, co-produce and co-finance the series, which is being written by Jonathan Penner and Stacy Title. MarVista CEO Fernando Szew says:
“Jonathan and Stacy have taken a world that has enraptured audiences in all its many forms over the years and given it a contemporary, female-focused spin. It is with great anticipation that we partner with IM Global Television to bring this exciting new vision directly into viewers’ homes.”
IM Global Television President Mark Stern echoed Szew's sentiments for Penner and Title, adding:
“There’s clearly a deep and abiding interest in this timeless story. We love Stacy and Jonathan’s approach to this adaptation and look forward to partnering with MarVista as we bring this gripping tale of survival and adventure to life for a new generation of Kong fans.”
The announcement is no doubt exciting news for fans of King Kong, who has thus far appeared in eight feature films since the original in 1933. The iconic jungle beast has also been the subject of three TV series, including the most recent entry Kong: King of the Apes on Netflix. While no timeline was given for the debut of King Kong Skull Island, Kong fans in the interim can enjoy Legendary Comics' new comic book series Skull Island: The Birth of Kong, a four-part saga that kicked off with its first issue last week.
Skull Island: The Birth of Kong is touted by Legendary as “a new monthly series that delves deeper into the mysteries of Skull Island and the mythic origins of Kong.” The comic book series is serving as both a prequel and sequel vehicle for Kong: Skull Island.
Source: IM Global Television/MarVista Entertainment