Kong: Skull Island gets new title, release date, official synopsis, and J.K. Simmons

By Rick Marshall December 16, 2014

kong skull island gets new title release date official synopsis j k simmons king 2005 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Legendary Pictures’ plans for a King Kong prequel film set on the monster-filled Skull Island have been changing rapidly this week, with the project getting a new title and release date, as well as an official synopsis and a familiar face added to the cast.

Now officially titled Kong: Skull Island, the upcoming film promises to explore the mysterious island where King Kong is discovered in the original 1933 film and the 2005 remake. The new synopsis for the film also suggests that it will exist in a new continuity separate from that of any of the previous films.

The studio’s official description of the film reads as follows:

Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (The Kings of Summer) and written by John Gatins (Flight) and Max Borenstein (Godzilla), Kong: Skull Island will fully immerse audiences in the mysterious and dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the treacherous, primordial island. Legendary’s story honors the foundations of existing King Kong lore, but places it in an entirely new, distinct timeline.

The release date for Kong: Skull Island was also shifted back a few months, from November 2016 to March 10, 2017.

And in yet another update, Deadline reports that original Spider-Man franchise actor J.K. Simmons has been added to the cast of the film, joining The Avengers actor Tom Hiddleston. Simmons is probably best-known for playing J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s trilogy of Spider-Man films.

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