A surprise announcement at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, "Skull Island" is the origin story behind Hollywood's famous ape, King Kong. Legendary Pictures, coming off of giant monster movie successes like "Pacific Rim" and "Godzilla," announced the film for a 2016 release with a short teaser featuring Kong himself. However, post-Comic Con, the studio went quiet, and no new details on the project emerged.
Today, the studio finally broke its silence: Legendary has revealed not only the director of the project, but the star as well. Jordan Vogt-Roberts is set to direct the picture while Tom Hiddleston will be its star.
Jordan Vogt-Roberts is most well known for his work on "The Kings of Summer," an independent comdey-drama from 2013. After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, "The Kings of Summer" received a limited U.S. and U.K. release. In addition to "Skull Island," Vogt-Roberts is also set to direct the adaptation of the Metal Gear Solid video game for Sony Pictures.
Honored to join the @Legendary family. Brace for Skull Island!! pic.twitter.com/wufi6ejNwE
— Jordan Vogt-Roberts (@VogtRoberts) September 16, 2014
Tom Hiddleston needs no introduction. Since joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in films like "Thor" and "The Avengers," Hiddleston has become a household name. While known for his portrayal of the god Loki, the actor has also appeared in numerous supporting roles in films such as Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" and Woody Allen's "Midnight In Paris." Hiddleston most recently replaced Benedict Cumberbatch in Guillermo del Toro's gothic horror film "Crimson Peak." Exactly what sort of role Hiddleston will play in "Skull Island" is still currently unknown.
Skull Island has been a part of Hollywood history for a long time, debuting alongside King Kong in the original 1933 release. In 2005, Peter Jackson recreated the island for his remake of "King Kong," which featured far more dangerous fauna than any previous incarnation. Given that Universal Pictures owns the rights for the Jackson "Kong" film and will also be distributing "Skull Island" in 2016, the 2005 version may very well be the basis for the look of the new island.
While Legendary has yet to reveal when "Skull Island" will begin shooting, the studio has already announced that the film will be released in theaters on Nov. 4, 2016.
