King Kong

Pitting Godzilla against King Kong, something that has already happened once before in movie history, may sound like a simple matter. But no, you can’t just write “Godzilla vs. Kong” on a blank piece of paper and expect it to happen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Legendary has recruited no less than seven screenwriters and assigned them to the task of turning their parallel Godzilla and Kong franchises into a singular cinematic universe.

According to Johnny Rockets’ website, the hamburger chain was founded over 30 years ago in the hopes of creating a place where customers could “escape from today’s complicated world.”

He’s big. He’s mean. He has a thing for blondes. He’s King Kong, and he’s back in theaters this month in Kong: Skull Island from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts and Legendary. The average life expectancy for a gorilla is about 40 years; at 84 years old, Kong’s still going strong, and arguably looking better than ever. If you’re significantly younger than Mr. Kong and new to the franchise, here’s what you need to know about his past, present, and future, along with his many imitators. (Note that there are a few SPOILERS about the old Kongs, but not Skull Island.)

If you saw 2005’s King Kong, you saw the great ape take on a giant T. rex. But did you know that scene was a close recreation of a similar battle in the original 1933 King Kong? In fact, both versions end with Kong playing with the jaw of the dead dinosaur. (Spoiler alert.) That’s just one of the facts featured in the newest episode of You Think You Know Movies!

Prepare yourself... for the EXTREMELY LARGE MONSTERS CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.

Here’s a bit of news that will definitely raise an eyebrow or two: Legendary Pictures executive Thomas Tull is relocating Kong: Skull Island from its home at Universal over to Warner Bros., where it will join Legendary’s other famous monster, Godzilla. It’s a move that obviously hints at a crossover between the two titans, who previously came to blows in 1962's King Kong vs. Godzilla.

Themed entertainment is a like a shark or a relationship – it has to keep moving forward or it has to die. Today, September 8, 2015, marks the day that Universal officially leaves its past behind. Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride Starring You, is closing to make way for a Fast and Furious themed ride. It’s closure marks the definitive end of the park’s original intentions, for better and for worse.

The fact that Universal Studios has been constructing a brand new King Kong attraction at their Florida-based Islands of Adventure theme park has been a poorly kept secret for a long time now. Still, the official reveal of Skull Island: Reign of Kong is surely going to grab the interest of film fans and theme park enthusiasts alike. No company is as good at designing truly cinematic and technologically groundbreaking rides as Universal, and the announcement video is going to turn a lot of heads.

The reveal of Legendary Pictures' 'Skull Island' was one of the few genuine surprises of this year's Comic-Con. The studio already had a teaser for the film set on the infamous island inhabited by King Kong, dinosaurs and other terrifying monsters, but it was lacking just about everything else. Now, those gaps are starting to get filled: Jordan Vogt-Roberts has signed on to direct, Tom Hiddleston will star, and the film itself will hit theaters on November 4, 2016.

While 'Godzilla 2' and 'Warcraft' were definitely big draws at Legendary's panel today at Comic-Con 2014, the studio had a surprise up its sleeve: the announcement of 'Skull Island.' And if that name sounds familiar to you, that's because it's the birthplace of King Kong.