Although Warner Bros. Pictures is currently focused on its DCEU films such as "Justice League" and "Wonder Woman" as well as the upcoming "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," it is also slowly building up hype for its new "King Kong" movie, titled "Kong: Skull Island."
According to a report from Entertainment Weekly, the studios have released the first official image of the film showcasing the size of the titular beast. The image itself is that of a skull of one of Kong's relatives, set in the backdrop as stars Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston are seen in the foreground to establish a comparison of sizes.
The report notes that this is the largest version of the giant ape in cinematic history, particularly in comparison to the 1933 original film and the 2005 remake.
"From the size of the skull, you can tell that things on this island are much bigger than audiences are used to with traditional Kong lore," explained director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. "Our Kong is by far the biggest Kong that you've seen on screen, and that translates to a lot of different things on the island."
According to the director, the size of the Kong seen in the 1933 film ranged from 25 feet to 50 feet due to inconsistencies at the time. The 2005 film had a consistent size of 25 feet. The "King Kong" film from the 1970s is explained to be a little larger, possibly bigger than 50 feet high.
However, the King Kong that will appear in "Kong: Skull Island" is set to be even larger. It is possible that the increase in size is not just to establish a sense of wonder but also to give this Kong a bigger chance in the upcoming crossover with the U.S. "Godzilla" films.
"Kong: Skull Island" opens in theaters in March 10, 2017. "Godzilla 2" will follow on March 22, 2019 and the crossover film, "Godzilla vs Kong," will be released on March 29, 2020.
