Has the ‘Kong: Skull Island’ Plot Been Revealed?

Up until now, all we’ve really known about the upcoming Kong: Skull Island is that it will be a King Kong movie. And based on the fact that it takes place on Skull Island, we’ll assume there are other large-sized monsters involved as well. But beyond an impressive cast — Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly, Toby Kebbell and now John Goodman — we don’t know much else. But, did that all just change?

Deadline just ran a story that purports to pull back the curtain on Kong: Skull Island to reveal its plot. Here’s what they say:

The story is about a man (Hiddleston) who travels to the mythical island after his brother is stranded there trying to retrieve the mythical serum Titan which is believed to be the cure for all illnesses and diseases. The man must lead a rescue team to save his brother while confronting the creatures that inhabit the island.

Before you get too excited, according to sources we’ve spoken to close to the production, this is not entirely true. These details were gleaned from an old version of the script, written by Max Borenstein (Godzilla) before director Jordan Vogt-Roberts became attached to the film. Vogt-Roberts is working with a new team of writers, including Derek Connelly (Jurassic World) and Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler), on a completely new script. While obviously Kong will follow a team of humans arriving on the island and confronting creatures that “inhabit the island”, the details surrounding it are expected to be different. (One thing they did keep: “Titan” is the codename Kong is now working under.)

Kong: Skull Island recently moved from Universal — who has a first look deal with Legendary Entertainment, the production company footing the bill — to Warner Bros. after the former balked at some aspects of the film. Noted The Hollywood Reporter in an article earlier this month:

“When you’re taking a big swing like that,” says an insider, “you’d better have your shit together.” And Universal was not convinced that such was the state of [Kong: Skull Island].

If Warner Bros. and Legendary are going to be working to develop a universe that will culminate with Godzilla vs. King Kong, they’re going to need to get their s--- together. The Skull Island script will have to evolve to start including some crossover references (like the shadowy Monarch agency) and perhaps even start explaining how in the world King Kong, a creature who climbed the Empire State Building, plans on fighting Godzilla, a creature taller than the Empire State Building.

Kong: Skull Island is set to open in theaters on March 11, 2017.