Jump to content

King Kong (franchise)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

King Kong
Logo used in marketing materials for the original 1933 film.
Created byMerian C. Cooper[1]
Original workKing Kong (1933)
OwnersWarner Bros.[a]
Universal Pictures[b]
StudioCanal[c]
Years1933–present
Print publications
ComicsFull list
Films and television
Film(s)13 films; 1933–present
Television seriesFull list
Theatrical presentations
Musical(s)King Kong (2013)
Miscellaneous
Crossover seriesMonsterVerse

King Kong is an American monster media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as television, novels, comic books, video games, attractions, and other merchandise. The franchise is centered on King Kong, a giant ape living on a primordial island inhabited by prehistoric creatures. The original film King Kong was co-directed by Merian C. Cooper (creator of the character) and Ernest B. Schoedsack and was released on March 2, 1933; it was a box office success, despite opening during the Great Depression. The film's stop motion effects by Willis H. O'Brien revolutionized special effects, leaving a lasting impact on the film industry worldwide.

Twelve films have followed since the franchise's 1933 debut, with Kong typically serving as a benevolent and, at times, violent protagonist. Ownership over each film varies since Kong was licensed to various studios, but the original 1933 film and its sequel were produced and owned by RKO Radio Pictures. The films were inherited by Warner Bros. (via Turner Entertainment Co.) in 1996.

The franchise has had several hiatuses and revivals, and it has inspired other genre films during intervals, such as Mighty Joe Young, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms,[6] Creature from the Black Lagoon,[7] Godzilla,[8] Mothra,[9] and Jurassic Park.[10][11]

History

[edit]
Live-action and animated variants of King Kong between 1933–2021.

1930s

[edit]
Main articles: King Kong (1933 film) and Son of Kong

In 1933, RKO Pictures produced and released King Kong; it became a box office success despite opening during the Great Depression, earning $90,000 in its first four days.[12] The film's success spawned a sequel nine months later, Son of Kong, as well as what became a multimedia franchise, spanning remakes, reboots, books, videos games, attractions, parodies and references.[13][14][15]

The film grossed $10 million at the box office and earned an additional $2.5 million when it was re-released in 1952.[16][17] The film revolutionized special effects, specifically stop motion, that left a long lasting impact in the film industry worldwide, with effects animator Willis H. O'Brien largely credited for pioneering the medium.[18][19][20] King Kong (1933) is widely regarded by critics and journalists as a masterpiece and a signature facet of American cinema,[21][22][23] and is cited as one of the greatest monster films ever made.[24][25][26] King Kong (1933) was selected by the National Film Registry for preservation.[14]

1960s

[edit]
Main articles: King Kong vs. Godzilla, The King Kong Show, and King Kong Escapes

In the early 1960s, O'Brien developed a story outline titled King Kong vs. Frankenstein, supplemented with water-color illustrations and sketches, in the hopes of igniting interest for a potential production in color. Impressed with O'Brien's pitch, RKO attorney Daniel O'Shea granted O'Brien permission to use the character and introduced him to independent film producer John Beck to help secure studio funding. Despite hiring George Worthing Yates to adapt O'Brien's outline into a full screenplay (retitled as King Kong vs. Prometheus, in reference to the original Mary Shelley book) and meeting with several studios and directors, Beck failed to sell the project in Hollywood. He reached out to foreign studios.[27]

Beck succeeded in striking a deal with Toho Co., Ltd., the producers behind Godzilla (1954). However, Toho was mostly interested in licensing King Kong from RKO and Beck rather than acquiring O'Brien's story; as a result, Frankenstein/Prometheus was replaced with Godzilla and the project was redeveloped as King Kong vs. Godzilla. Beck's deal with Toho was done without O'Brien's knowledge or consent. His representative prepared a lawsuit (presumably against Beck) for unauthorized use of O'Brien's ideas in the film. However, the lawsuit was dropped due to attorney fees, and O'Brien died on November 8, 1962.[27]

Unlike King Kong (1933), the special effects in Godzilla were accomplished with suitmation and miniature sets, also known as tokusatsu. King Kong was portrayed by Shoichi Hirose and Godzilla portrayed by Haruo Nakajima; stop motion was also used in a few brief scenes.[28]

Toho theatrically released King Kong vs. Godzilla on August 11, 1962, in Japan and it was a box office success, having sold 11.2 million tickets during its initial theatrical run. It earned ¥352 million ($972,000) in distribution rental earnings.[29] The film became the second-highest-grossing Japanese-produced film in history upon its release[30] and was the fourth-highest-grossing film released in Japan that year, as well as Toho's second-biggest release.[31]

Because Toho was so eager to acquire King Kong, they had agreed to cede to Beck theatrical and television distribution rights for the United States, Canada, Alaska, the United Kingdom, and Israel, while Toho retained exclusive distribution for the Far East. Beck's contract also granted him the right to produce his own version. Beck commissioned a strongly localized version with new footage using American actors and replacing Akira Ifukube's score with stock music from Universal Pictures' library. Beck sold his localized version to Universal International, who made a deal to retain copyrights to the American version for 40 years.[4]

The American version of King Kong vs. Godzilla was released in the United States on June 26, 1963.[32] The Japanese version remained unavailable officially outside of Japan until 2019, when American distributor The Criterion Collection included both Japanese and American versions in a Blu-ray set collecting the Shōwa era Godzilla films.[33]

In 1966, American studio Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment acquired the rights from RKO to produce an animated series and a new live-action film. A joint venture between Rankin/Bass and Japanese studio Toei Animation, The King Kong Show premiered on ABC in September 1966.[34] Around that time, Rankin/Bass made a deal with Toho to co-produced their King Kong film that would have been promotionally tied to The King Kong Show. Toho presented a script titled Operation Robinson Crusoe: King Kong vs. Ebirah, but Rankin/Bass vetoed the script and Toho proceeded without Rankin/Bass; King Kong was replaced with Godzilla and the film was redeveloped as Ebirah, Horror of the Deep.[35][36]

In September 1966, Toho had sent Rankin/Bass a proposed synopsis for a new film titled King Kong Escapes, which was loosely based on The King Kong Show; though some elements from Operation Robinson Crusoe: King Kong vs. Ebirah remained such as over-the-top villains from an unnamed nation, illegal production of fuel for nuclear weapons, and scenes in the South Seas. The proposal was accepted and filming began in spring 1967,[36] with Haruo Nakajima playing King Kong via suitmation.[37] Toho theatrically released King Kong Escapes on July 22, 1967, in Japan but failed to match the box office success of King Kong vs. Godzilla.[38] Universal Pictures released an English dubbed version in the United States the following year; similar to what they had done with King Kong vs. Godzilla, Universal made a deal to retain the copyright of the American version for 40 years.[4]

1970s–1980s

[edit]
Main articles: King Kong (1976 film) and King Kong Lives

Accounts vary as to the genesis of the 1976 remake. While producer Dino De Laurentiis has claimed it was his idea to remake King Kong after seeing a poster of the 1933 film in his daughter's room, Michael Eisner, then-vice president of ABC, equally claimed to have conceived the idea of a remake in December 1974 after watching the 1933 film on television, and nonchalantly mentioned such an idea to Sidney Sheinberg, then-president and CEO of MCA Inc. and Universal Pictures; Sheinberg also mentioned the idea to Barry Diller, then-president of Paramount Pictures. Sheinberg and Diller soon began to concurrently develop their own King Kong remakes, both unaware of the other's project. Diller hired De Laurentiis to produce on behalf of Paramount, while Sheinberg hired Hunt Stromberg Jr. to produce for Universal. On April 15, 1975, Universal's attorney Arnold Shane and De Laurentiis, both unaware of the other's appointment, met with RKO's attorney Daniel O'Shea to negotiate in acquiring the rights. Despite not signing documents, both parties left believing they had secured the rights for their respected studios; however, Paramount had signed their deal with RKO the following month and soon learned about Universal's own film after they announced Joseph Sargent to direct and Bo Goldman to write the script, titled The Legend of King Kong.[39]

Universal and Paramount soon engaged in litigation; Universal insisted that a verbal agreement was made with RKO, demanded $25 million in damages from De Laurentiis and RKO, and asserted that the material was in public domain by then since Universal published a novelization of the King Kong story in the 1930s. De Laurentiis countersued for copyright infringement, demanding $90 million in damages and pushed his film into production while also publishing ads that jabbed at Universal (e.g. "There Still is Only One King Kong"). In January 1976, negotiations were made to potentially have both studios co-produce a single film and share profits, but De Laurentiis rejected Universal's proposal of using their script and controlling the merchandise. Litigation ended that same month after De Laurentiis agreed to pay an undisclosed percentage for Universal's cancelled film, with Universal vowing to produce their own King Kong film at an undetermined date.[39]

Carlo Rambaldi lead an effects team that built Kong's giant hand and a 40 foot tall robot of Kong, its construction overseen by Glen Robinson. Like the Toho films, an ape-suit was used to bring Kong to life, with special make-up effects artist Rick Baker portraying the character. The 40-foot robot cost roughly $2 million, while the giant hand and suit cost an additional $400,000, and a full-sized static Kong made of styrofoam, used for one scene, cost $300,000. The production was a rushed venture since the studio set the film's release date for December 1976 and De Laurentiis' persistence to beat Universal. As a result, delays occurred due to props and mechanics malfunctioning; two full-scale right hands produced by mistake; director John Guillermin's tyrant-like behavior on-set; the budget inflating to $24 million and marketing costs of $10 million, figures unheard of at the time. Paramount theatrically released King Kong on December 17, 1976, and grossed $90 million. Despite mixed reviews unfavorably comparing the remake to the original, the film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, shared with Logan's Run.[39]

In 1977, De Laurentiis stated that a sequel to the 1976 remake would "definitely" be produced.[40] However, development on a sequel was impaired by the remake's disappointing box office results and legal complications over the ownership of the King Kong character.[41] Writer Steven Pressfield stated that various scripts were written that he described as "embarrassing". Despite initially skeptical of a female Kong, De Laurentiis ultimately approved of Pressfield's and Ronald Shusett pitch of Kong put in a respirator and restored with an artificial heart.[42] Guillermin returned to direct the sequel after finances collapsed for a film adaptation of Tai-Pan with Sean Connery.[43] The film was announced in October 1985 and filming began in April 1986 in Tennessee for a December release later that year.[44][45] King Kong Lives was theatrically released on December 19, 1986, by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group and was met with a poor response. The film flopped at the box office,[46] grossing $4.7 million in the United States and Canada,[47] and was panned by critics.[48]

1990s

[edit]
Main articles: King Kong (2005 film) § Earlier attempts and 1990s, and The Mighty Kong

In 1993, Toho had considered remaking King Kong vs. Godzilla, due to that film being their most successful Godzilla/Kong film to date. However, Toho concluded that re-acquiring the rights to King Kong would prove difficult and instead considered using the cyborg Mechani-Kong, seen in The King Kong Show and Toho's King Kong Escapes. Effects director Kōichi Kawakita regaled an idea inspired by Fantastic Voyage where Mechani-Kong would have injected people inside Godzilla's body to battle the beast internally while Mechani-Kong battled Godzilla externally. Kawakita stated that the concept would have explored different worlds inside Godzilla. However, Toho walked back on using Mechani-Kong since the character bore a likeness to King Kong and thus required obtaining the rights. Mechani-Kong was replaced with Mechagodzilla and the film was redeveloped as Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.[49]

In 1995, Universal Pictures offered filmmaker Peter Jackson a chance to direct a remake of King Kong, after being impressed with Jackson's The Frighteners.[50] Licensing the character from RKO and Time Warner was no longer an issue because the character of "Kong" fell into public domain by that point.[51] Jackson initially turned down the offer but reneged on his decision after fearing that the remake would fail under a different director.[52] Around that time, Jackson was attached to direct live-action film adaptations of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings but proceeded with King Kong due to producer Harvey Weinstein taking too long to acquire the rights. To placate Weinstein's anger, Jackson brokered a co-financing/co-distributing deal with Miramax for King Kong that benefited all parties. Pre-production commenced with filmmaker Robert Zemeckis on board as executive producer and Universal approved the script co-written by Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh, with filming planned to commence in 1997 for a potential 1998 release.[50] However, Universal halted progress in January 1997 after growing concern over competition from the then-upcoming releases of TriStar's Godzilla and Mighty Joe Young, both released in 1998, the latter by Miramax's parent company, Disney.[53] Universal aborted King Kong the following month, despite Wētā FX and Wētā Workshop having already designed six months worth of pre-production, and Jackson reverted to helm The Lord of the Rings trilogy.[54][52] Years later, Jackson and his frequent collaborator Christian Rivers noted striking resemblances in tone between Jackson's unused King Kong script and Universal's 1999 remake of The Mummy.[55]

In 1998, Warner Bros. released The Mighty Kong direct-to-video. An animated musical remake of the 1933 film, it features the voices of Dudley Moore, Jodi Benson, Bill Sage, Jason Gray-Stanford, and Richard Newman. The film received negative reviews and is placed in the low-tier end of most ranking lists of King Kong films.[56][57][58]

2000s

[edit]
Main articles: Kong: The Animated Series and King Kong (2005 film)

In response to the success of Columbia TriStar Television's animated series Godzilla: The Series, BKN International produced Kong: The Animated Series and ran on syndicated television between 2000 and 2001. The series is a direct sequel to the 1933 film and focuses on a new Kong cloned from the DNA of both the 1933 Kong and a young man named Jason and as a result, Jason is able to link with Kong via a special device in moments of crisis. The series generated two direct-to-video animated films, Kong: King of Atlantis (2005) and Kong: Return to the Jungle (2006).[59][60][61]

After the success of The Lord of the Rings films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, Universal approached Jackson in early 2003 during post-production on The Return of the King about reviving his King Kong remake. In March 2003, Universal scheduled a 2005 release date and Philippa Boyens was hired to rewrite Jackson's and Walsh's 1996 script, but Jackson began to work on a new script in October 2003 that was closer to the 1933 film after being dissatisfied with the 1996 script. They included unused elements from James Ashmore Creelman's script of the 1933 film, such as the lost spider-pit scene. Delos W. Lovelace's 1932 novelization was also a source of inspiration. Weta Workshop and Weta Digital began to work immediately on King Kong after the completion of The Return of the King and Jackson had brought back the crew that worked with him on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Filming began in September 2004, with Andy Serkis portraying Kong via motion-capture acting.[53][54][50][62] Universal theatrically released King Kong on December 13, 2005, to generally positive reviews, with the film appearing in several top ten lists for 2005.[63][64] The film received four Academy Award nominations, for Visual Effects, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, and Production Design, winning all but the last.[65][66] Jackson had also directed a recreation of the lost spider pit sequence that was featured on the 2005 DVD release of the 1933 film.[67][68]

2010s–present

[edit]
Main articles: Kong: King of the Apes, MonsterVerse, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla vs. Kong, Skull Island (TV series), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

In 2013, Jackson and producer Mary Parent had intended to produce Skull Island, a direct sequel to his 2005 remake and handpicked then up-and-coming director Adam Wingard to direct it. However, Jackson and Wingard dropped out of the project but Parent remained after Legendary Pictures took over the project and redeveloped it as a prequel; Parent eventually became Legendary's production chief.[69]

In July 2014, Legendary announced the film at San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H with Max Borenstein (writer of Legendary's 2014 Godzilla film) to write the script. Legendary initially targeted a November 4, 2016 release and had offered Joe Cornish to direct it.[70] Around that time, Jackson expressed interest in seeing Guillermo del Toro direct the film.[71] In September 2014, Legendary announced Jordan Vogt-Roberts as the director, with Tom Hiddleston leading the film.[72] In September 2015, Legendary moved the film, retitled Kong: Skull Island, from Universal to Warner Bros. to unite the King Kong and Godzilla properties under one studio.[73] In October 2015, Legendary officially announced their plans for a shared cinematic franchise between King Kong and Godzilla that would culminate in a Godzilla vs. Kong film, at the time slated for a 2020 release.[74] In January 2017, Legendary's Godzilla–Kong series was revealed as the MonsterVerse, after it was announced that Legendary founder Thomas Tull would resign but remain as producer on the MonsterVerse films.[75]

Inspired by Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, Borenstein had originally envisioned a war film that began in the Vietnam War and jumped to the present day; however, Legendary rejected this idea. Borenstein then wrote a draft set in 1917 while retaining the Apocalypse Now concept. That version saw Hiddleston playing a character leading a rescue mission into Skull Island to find his brother, who came to the island in search of a cure-all serum.[76][77] After Vogt-Roberts joined the film, he liked Borenstein's original Vietname-era pitch and convinced Legendary to set the film near the end of the Vietnam war.[78] For Kong's design, Vogt-Roberts took the character back the look of the 1933 iteration, wanting him to look straightforward yet iconic enough that a child could draw him, and wanted Kong to reflect a lonely and morose God.[79] Terry Notary portrayed Kong via performance capture, while Toby Kebbell provided additional facial work; Notary sought Serkis' blessing before accepting the role.[80][81] Principal photography began in October 2015, in Hawaii and Vietnam and wrapped in March 2016.[82]

Kong: Skull Island was released on March 10, 2017, to positive reviews,[83][84] and was a box office success, grossing $566 million worldwide against a budget of $185 million.[85] The film received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards.[86]

In April 2016, writer and artist Joe DeVito sued Legendary and Warner Bros. for breach of implied contract, alleging that they had stolen ideas and concepts from pitch meetings he had with Legendary in April 2014. He claimed Legendary turned him down yet used his ideas as the basis for their film without credit or compensation and sought $3.5 million in general and punitive damages.[87]

That same month, Netflix released the animated series Kong: King of the Apes; a joint venture between 41 Entertainment and Avi Arad, the series ran for two seasons.[88][89] In March 2017, Legendary had assembled a writers room for Godzilla vs. Kong, with Terry Rossio (who had co-written an unproduced script for TriStar's Godzilla)[90] leading a team consisting of Patrick McKay, J. D. Payne, Lindsey Beer, Cat Vasko, T.S. Nowlin, Jack Paglen, and J. Michael Straczynski.[91] At that time, Wingard had a general meeting with Parent, who recalled that Jackson had approved of Wingard and was announced as the director of Godzilla vs. Kong in May 2017.[92][69]

Around that same time, MarVista Entertainment and IM Global announced their own live-action King Kong project for television; written by Jonathan Penner and Stacy Title, the series is to be based on DeVito's materials, approved by the Cooper estate.[93] Filming for Godzilla vs. Kong began in November 2018 in Hawaii, Australia, and Hong Kong and wrapped in April 2019.[94][95] Allan Henry provided the performance capture for Kong, while animation supervisor Eric Petey provided Kong's full body performance and facial capture for the ocean battle sequence.[96][97] The film endured several delays, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was finally released internationally on March 24, 2021 and on March 31, 2021 in the United States; the latter which saw a concurrent release in theaters and on HBO Max.[98][99] The film received generally positive reviews and became a box office and streaming hit during the pandemic; it became the most successful launch item in HBO Max's history until it was overtaken by Mortal Kombat.[100][101][102] The film grossed $470 million worldwide against a break-even point of $330 million,[101][103] and became the most pirated film of 2021.[104] Prior to the release of Godzilla vs. Kong, Legendary announced in January 2021 an animated series titled Skull Island. A joint-venture between Legendary Television, Tractor Pants Productions, Powerhouse Animation Studios, and Netflix Animation, the series was released on June 22, 2023, on Netflix.[105][106]

Due to the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, Legendary announced a sequel in March 2022, scheduled to commence filming later that same year.[107] In May 2022, it was announced that Wingard would return to direct and that Dan Stevens had been cast in the lead. Wingard and Stevens had previously worked together on The Guest.[108] Filming began in July 2022 in Gold Coast, Queensland, and finished in November 2022.[109][110] Allan Henry provided the performance capture for both the Skar King and Kong, reprising his role from Godzilla vs. Kong.[111] In April 2023, Legendary released a teaser trailer revealing the film's official title as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.[112] The film was theatrically released on March 29, 2024.[113] Due to the film's success, Legendary announced in May 2024 that a follow-up is in development and would be written by David Callaham.[114]

In August 2022, Disney Branded Television announced plans for a live-action series of their own for Disney+. The series is to be co-produced by James Wan's Atomic Monster Productions and written by Stephany Folsom, and would be based on Cooper's original books and DeVito's new novelizations, focusing on a new Kong in modern times with characters exploring the origins and mysteries of his home island.[115] In January 2024, the character briefly appeared in the finale of the television series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.[116]

Filmography

[edit]

Theatrical features

[edit]
Film Release date Director(s) Story by Screenwriter(s) Producer(s) Distributor(s)
King Kong March 2, 1933 (1933-03-02) Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack[117] Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper[117] James Creelman and Ruth Rose[117] Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack[117] RKO Pictures[117]
Son of Kong December 22, 1933 (1933-12-22) Ernest B. Schoedsack Ruth Rose Ernest B. Schoedsack
King Kong vs. Godzilla August 11, 1962 (1962-08-11) Ishirō Honda[118] (Japan)
Thomas Montgomery[119] (U.S.) 		Shinichi Sekizawa[118] (Japan)
Paul Mason and Bruce Howard[119] (U.S.) 		Tomoyuki Tanaka[118] (Japan)
John Beck[119] (U.S.) 		Toho Co., Ltd.[32] (Japan)
Universal International[32] (U.S.)
King Kong Escapes July 22, 1967 (1967-07-22) Ishirō Honda Arthur Rankin Jr. Takeshi Kimura Tomoyuki Tanaka and Arthur Rankin Jr.
King Kong December 17, 1976 (1976-12-17) John Guillermin Lorenzo Semple Jr. Dino De Laurentiis Paramount Pictures
King Kong Lives December 19, 1986 (1986-12-19) Ronald Shusett and Steven Pressfield Martha Schumacher De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
King Kong December 14, 2005 (2005-12-14) Peter Jackson Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson Universal Pictures
Kong: Skull Island March 10, 2017 (2017-03-10) Jordan Vogt-Roberts John Gatins Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, and Derek Connolly Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Garcia and Mary Parent Warner Bros.
Godzilla vs. Kong March 24, 2021 (2021-03-24) Adam Wingard Terry Rossio, Michael Dougherty, and Zach Shields Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Brian Rogers, Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, and Eric McLeod[120]
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire March 29, 2024 (2024-03-29) Terry Rossio, Adam Wingard, and Simon Barrett[121] Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater[121]

Direct-to-video animations

[edit]
Film Release date Director(s) Story by Screenwriter(s) Producer(s) Distributor(s)
The Mighty Kong June 16, 1998 (1998-06-16) Art Scott William J. Keenan Denis deVallance
Lyn Henderson 		Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Kong: King of Atlantis November 22, 2005 (2005-11-22) Patrick Archibald Patrick Archibald
Sean Catherine Derek
Chuck Patton 		Sean Catherine Derek Allen Bohbot BKN International
Kong: Return to the Jungle November 14, 2006 (2006-11-14) Stuart Evans Sean Catherine Derek
Rick Ungar 		Allen Bohbot
Rick Ungar

Television

[edit]
Series Seasons Episodes First released Last released Showrunner(s) Network(s)
The King Kong Show 3 25 September 10, 1966 August 31, 1969 Arthur Rankin Jr.
Jules Bass 		ABC (United States)
NET (Japan)
Kong: The Animated Series 2 40 September 9, 2000 March 26, 2001 Sean Catherine Derek
Romain Van Leimt 		M6
Kong: King of the Apes 2 23 April 15, 2016 May 4, 2018 Avi Arad
Allen Bohbot 		Netflix
Skull Island 1 8 June 22, 2023 Brian Duffield and Jacob Robinson
Allen Bohbot

Reception

[edit]

Box office performance

[edit]
Film Year Box office gross revenue (est.) Ticket sales (est.) Budget
United States and Canada Other territories Worldwide Ref United States and Canada[122] Japan[123]
King Kong 1933 $10,000,000 $1,777,000[124] $11,777,000 [125] 7,800,000[126] — $672,000
Son of Kong 1933 $616,000 — $616,000 [127] 1,760,000 — $269,000
King Kong vs. Godzilla 1962 $2,700,000[29] $7,667,650 $10,367,650 [d] 3,200,000 12,600,000[128] $620,000
King Kong Escapes 1967 $3,000,000 — $3,000,000 [e] 2,300,000 — —
King Kong 1976 $52,614,445 $38,000,000 $90,614,445 [129] 24,701,600[130] — $23,000,000 – 24,000,000
King Kong Lives 1986 $4,711,220[131] $44,200,000 $48,911,220 [f] 1,231,200[132] — $18,000,000
King Kong 2005 $218,080,025 $338,826,353 $556,906,378 [133] 33,885,140[134] 1,900,000[135] $207,000,000
Kong: Skull Island 2017 $168,052,812 $400,600,000 $568,652,812 [136] 18,970,200[137] 1,680,000[138] $185,000,000
Godzilla vs. Kong 2021 $100,916,094 $369,200,000 $470,116,094 [139] — — $160,000,000
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 2024 $196,350,016 $373,577,619 $569,927,635 [140] — — $150,000,000
Total $752,329,392 $1,573,848,622 $2,330,889,234 93,848,140 16,180,000 $745,561,000
  • N/A = no known data.

Critical and public response

[edit]
Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
King Kong (1933) 97% (58 reviews)[141] 90% (12 reviews)[142]
Son of Kong 36% (11 reviews)[143] 50% (6 reviews)[144]
King Kong vs. Godzilla 47% (15 reviews)[145] 40% (4 reviews)[146]
King Kong Escapes — —
King Kong (1976) 53% (36 reviews)[147] 61% (11 reviews)[148]
King Kong Lives 8% (10 reviews)[149] 32% (9 reviews)[150]
The Mighty Kong — —
King Kong (2005) 84% (262 reviews)[151] 81% (39 reviews)[152]
Kong: Skull Island 75% (389 reviews)[153] 62% (49 reviews)[154]
Godzilla vs. Kong 75% (378 reviews)[155] 59% (57 reviews)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire 54% (229 reviews)[156] 47 (51 reviews)[157]

Academy Awards

[edit]
Category 1977[158] 2006 2018[159]
King Kong (1976) King Kong (2005) Kong: Skull Island
Best Cinematography Nominated — —
Best Art Direction — Nominated —
Best Sound[g] Editing Nominated Won —
Mixing Won
Best Visual Effects Won Won Nominated

Cultural impact

[edit]
Main article: King Kong in popular culture

King Kong, as well as the series of films featuring him, have been featured many times in popular culture outside of the films themselves, in forms ranging from straight copies to parodies and joke references, and in media from comic books to video games. The Beatles' 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine includes a scene of the characters opening a door to reveal King Kong abducting a woman from her bed. The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror III" features a segment called "King Homer" which parodies the plot of the original film, with Homer as Kong and Marge in the Ann Darrow role. It ends with King Homer marrying Marge and eating her father.[citation needed]

The British comedy TV series The Goodies made an episode called "Kitten Kong", in which a giant cat called Twinkle roams the streets of London, knocking over the British Telecom Tower. The controversial World War II Dutch resistance fighter Christiaan Lindemans — eventually arrested on suspicion of having betrayed secrets to the Nazis — was nicknamed "King Kong" due to his being exceptionally tall.[160] Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention recorded an instrumental about "King Kong" in 1967 and featured it on the album Uncle Meat. Zappa went on to make many other versions of the song on albums such as Make a Jazz Noise Here, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3, Ahead of Their Time, and Beat the Boots.

The Kinks recorded a song called "King Kong" as the B-side to their 1969 "Plastic Man" single. In 1972, a 550 cm (18 ft) fiberglass statue of King Kong was erected in Birmingham, England. The second track of The Jimmy Castor Bunch album Supersound from 1975 is titled "King Kong".[161] Filk Music artists Ookla the Mok's "Song of Kong", which explores the reasons why King Kong and Godzilla should not be roommates, appears on their 2001 album Smell No Evil.[citation needed] Daniel Johnston wrote and recorded a song called "King Kong" on his fifth self-released music cassette, Yip/Jump Music in 1983, rereleased on CD and double LP by Homestead Records in 1988. The song is an a cappella narrative of the original movie's story line. Tom Waits recorded a cover version of the song with various sound effects on the 2004 release, The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. ABBA recorded "King Kong Song" for their 1974 album Waterloo. Although later singled out by ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus as one of their weakest tracks,[162] it was released as a single in 1977 to coincide with the 1976 film playing in theatres.

Other media

[edit]

Video games

[edit]
# Title Year Developer Publisher Platforms
1 King Kong 1982 Tigervision Tigervision Atari 2600
2 King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch 1986 Konami Konami Nintendo Family Computer
3 King Kong 2: Yomigaeru Densetsu 1986 Konami Konami MSX2
4 King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World 1990 Data East Data East Pinball
5 Kong: King of Atlantis 2005 Skyworks Interactive and Game Titan Majesco Game Boy Advance
6 Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World 2005 Ubisoft Ubisoft Game Boy Advance
7 Peter Jackson's King Kong 2005 Ubisoft Montpellier Ubisoft Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable
8 Godzilla Daikaiju Battle Royale[163][164] 2012 AWM Studio Productions AWM Studio Productions Online
9 Colossal Kaiju Combat[165][166][167][168] 2014 (delayed) Sunstone Games Sunstone Games, Sega (PS4), Nintendo (3DS and Switch) Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, Switch
10 KONG VR: Destination Skull Island[169] 2017 Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Virtual reality
11 Call of Duty: Warzone 2022 Raven Software Activision Publishing Battle.net, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
12 Skull Island: Rise of Kong 2023 IguanaBee GameMill Entertainment PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam

Various electronic games featuring King Kong have been released through the years by numerous companies. These range from handheld LCD games, to video games, to pinball machines. Tiger Electronics released various King Kong games in the early 1980s, including a Tabletop LCD game in 1981,[170] a video game for the Atari 2600 home video game system in 1982,[171] a handheld game in 1982 in both a regular edition[172] a large screen edition[173] (the regular edition was later reissued by Tandy in 1984[174]), an "Orlitronic" game (for the international markets) in 1983,[175] and a color "Flip-Up" game in 1984.[176]

Epoch Co. released two LCD games in 1982. One was King Kong: New York,[177] and the other was King Kong: Jungle[178] Konami released two games based on the film King Kong Lives in 1986. The first game was King Kong 2: Ikari no Megaton Punch for the Famicom, and the second was King Kong 2: Yomigaeru Densetsu,[179] for the MSX computer. In 1988, Konami featured the character in the crossover game Konami Wai Wai World. All of these games were only released in Japan. Data East planned to release a pinball machine called King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World[180] in 1990, but only 9 units were made. In 1992, Nintendo produced an educational game called Mario is Missing that features a treasure hunt level involving King Kong in New York City. The character is represented by images of his arm grabbing the Empire State Building in the NES version and a full body statue in the SNES version. Bam! Entertainment released a Game Boy Advance game based on Kong: The Animated Series in 2002.[181] MGA Entertainment released an electronic handheld King Kong game (packaged with a small figurine) in 2003.[182] Majesco Entertainment released a Game Boy Advance game based on the straight to video animated film Kong: King of Atlantis in 2005.[183]

In 2005, Ubisoft released two video games based on the 2005 King Kong. Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie was released on all video game platforms, while Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World was released for the Game Boy Advance. Also to tie into the film, Gameloft released King Kong: The Official Mobile Game of the Movie[184] for mobile phones, while Radio Shack released a miniature pinball game.[185] Taiyo Elec Co released a King Kong Pachinko game in 2007.[186]

King Kong appears in the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment game Lego Dimensions. He appears as a boss in The Lego Batman Movie pack.[citation needed]

In 2021, Raw Thrills released a cinematic virtual reality motion game called King Kong of Skull Island.[187]

Also in 2021, King Kong became a playable character in the Toho mobile game Godzilla Battle Line as part of a crossover promotion with the film Godzilla vs. Kong.[188]

In 2022, King Kong appears as a non-playable character alongside Godzilla in Call of Duty: Warzone. Once again as part of a crossover promotion with Godzilla vs. Kong, the update is titled Operation Monarch. A cosmetic outfit based on Kong is also released for both Warzone and Call of Duty: Vanguard.[189] Also that year Kong appeared in the game World of Warships.[190] In 2024, Kong was also featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 in a update called Godzilla x Kong: Battle for Hollow Earth to tie into the film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.[191][192][193]

Also in 2022, King Kong appeared in the mobile game Kong Skull Island x Evony: The King's Return as a tie in to the film Kong Skull Island by Evony, LLC.[194]

In 2023, Zen Studios released a three pack video game collection for Pinball FX called Godzilla vs. Kong: Pinball Pack which features three games, Kong Pinball, Godzilla Pinball and Godzilla vs. Kong Pinball.[195]

Also in 2023, GameMill Entertainment released Skull Island: Rise of Kong for all platforms.[196]

In 2024 a trio of King Kong games are due to be released. Hunted Cow Studios and Tilting Point will release the mobile game Godzilla x Kong: Titan Chasers,[197] 7Levels will release Kong: Survivor Instinct for the PC and consoles,[198] and Supersocial will release Monsterverse Supersocial Roblox Experience for Roblox.[199]

Besides starring in his own games, King Kong was the obvious influence behind other city-destroying gigantic apes, such as George from the Rampage series,[200] Woo from King of the Monsters (who was modeled after the Toho version of the character), and Congar from War of the Monsters, as well as giant apes worshipped as deities, like Chaos and Blizzard from Primal Rage whose beast classification is listed as "Kong" on the toy packaging.[201]

Literature and comics

[edit]
Main article: King Kong (comics)
Cover of the 1932 novelization of King Kong written by Delos W. Lovelace. This novelization was released just over two months before the film premiered in New York City on March 2, 1933.

Over the decades, there have been numerous books, novels, and comic books based on King Kong by various publishers.

In December 1932, as the film King Kong was finishing production, Merian C. Cooper asked his friend Delos W. Lovelace to adapt the film's screenplay into a novelization. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, the book was released later that month on December 27,[202] just over 2 months before the film premiered on March 2, 1933. This was a part of the film's advance marketing campaign. The novelization was credited as being based on the "Screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose. Novelized from the Radio Picture". The byline written under the title was "Conceived by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper". However, despite the credit, Wallace had very little to do with the story or the character. In an interview, author-artist Joe DeVito explains:

From what I know, Edgar Wallace, a famous writer of the time, died very early in the process. Little if anything of his ever appeared in the final story, but his name was retained for its saleability ... King Kong was Cooper's creation, a fantasy manifestation of his real life adventures. As many have mentioned before, Cooper was Carl Denham. His actual exploits rival anything Indiana Jones ever did in the movies.

— [203]

This conclusion about Wallace's contribution was verified in the book The Making of King Kong by Orville Goldner and George E. Turner (1975) where Wallace stated in his diary, "Merian Cooper called and we talked over the big animal play we are going to write, or rather I am writing and he is directing", and "An announcement has been made in the local press that I am doing a super horror story with Merian Cooper, but the truth is it is much more his story than mine...I shall get much more credit out of the picture than I deserve if it is a success, but I shall be blamed by the public if it is a failure which seems fair".[204] Wallace died of pneumonia complicated by diabetes on February 10, 1932, and Cooper later had James Creelman and finally Ruth Rose finish the screenplay. Cooper would later state: "Actually, Edgar Wallace didn't write any of Kong, not one bloody word...I'd promised him credit and so I gave it to him".[205]

Cooper issued a reprint of the novelization in 1965 that was published by Bantam Books. Some time later, the copyright expired and the publishing rights to the book fell into the public domain. Since then a myriad of publishers have reprinted the novelization numerous times.[206] In 1983, Judith Conaway wrote a juvenile adaptation of the novelization called King Kong (Step Up Adventures) that featured illustrations by Mike Berenstain and was published by Random House books, while Anthony Browne wrote and illustrated another juvenile adaptation called Anthony Browne's King Kong in 1994. Credited as "From the Story Conceived by Edgar Wallace & Merian C. Cooper", the book was published by the Turner Publishing Company. It was re-released as a paperback in the U.K in 2005 by Picture Corgi. Blackstone Audio produced an audio recording of the book in 2005 narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, while StarWarp Concepts released an Ebook version complete with 6 new illustrations from pulp-comic artist Paul Tuma in 2017.[207]

Outside of the novelization, the film was serialized in a pulp magazine. In 1933, Mystery magazine published a King Kong serial under the byline of Edgar Wallace,[208] and written by Walter F. Ripperger.[209] This serialization was published in two parts in the February and March issues of the magazine.

In the U.K, the film was serialized in two different pulps, both on October 28, 1933: in the juvenile Boys Magazine (Vol. 23, No. 608),[210] where the serialization was uncredited, and in that month's issue of Cinema Weekly where it was credited to Edgar Wallace and written by Draycott Montagu Dell (1888–1940). This short story adaptation would later appear in the Peter Haining book called Movie Monsters in 1988, published by Severn House in the U.K. The novel was serialized in the London Daily Herald by H. Kingsley Long as well. The serialization was first published in April 1933 and ran 37 installments.

In 1973, Philip Jose Farmer wrote a short story sequel to the Lovelace novelization called After King Kong Fell that was published in OMEGA: a collection of original science fiction stories.[211]

In 1977, a novelization of the 1976 remake of King Kong was published by Ace Books. This novelization was called The Dino De Laurentiis Production of King Kong and was simply the 1976 Lorenzo Semple Jr. script published in book form. The cover was done by Frank Frazetta.

To coincide with the 2005 remake of King Kong, various books were released to tie into the film. A novelization was written by Christopher Golden based on the screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Peter Jackson. Matt Costello wrote an official prequel to the film called King Kong: The Island of the Skull. These books were published by Pocket Books. Various illustrated juvenile books were published, as well, by Harper Books: Kong's Kingdom was written by Julia Simon-Kerr; Meet Kong and Ann and Journey to Skull Island were written by Jennifer Franz; Escape from Skull Island and Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World—Junior Novel were written by Laura J. Burns; The Search for Kong was written by Catherine Hapka; and finally, a Deluxe Sound Storybook of Kong: The Eighth Wonder of the World was written by Don Curry. Weta Workshop released a collection of concept art from the film entitled The World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island that was published by Pocket Books. The book was written and designed to resemble and read like an actual nature guide and historical record.

In 2005, Ibooks, Inc., published an unofficial book featuring King Kong called Kong Reborn, by Russell Blackford.

Starting in 1996, artist/writer Joe DeVito began working with the Merian C. Cooper estate to write and/or illustrate various books based on the King Kong character. The first of these was an origin story labeled as an authorized sequel/prequel to the 1932 novelization of King Kong called Kong: King of Skull Island. This illustrated hardcover novel was published in 2004 by DH Press and featured a story DeVito co-wrote with Brad Strickland and John Michlig. It also included an introduction by Ray Harryhausen. A large paperback edition was then released in 2005, with extra pages at the end of the book. A CD audiobook narrated by Joey D'Auria was released by RadioArchives as well, and an interactive two-part app was released in 2011 and 2013, respectively, by Copyright 1957 LLC. In 2005, DeVito and Strickland co-wrote another book together called Merian C. Cooper's King Kong for the Merian C. Cooper estate. This book was published by St. Martin's Press. It was a full rewrite of the original 1932 novelization, which updates the language and paleontology and adds five new chapters. Some additional elements and characters tie into Kong: King of Skull Island, enabling the two separate books to form a continuous storyline. In 2013, the first of two books featuring crossovers with pulp heroes was published. To coincide with the 80th anniversary of both King Kong and Doc Savage, Altus Press published Doc Savage: Skull Island in both softcover and hardcover editions. This officially sanctioned book was written by Will Murray and based on concepts by DeVito.[212] In 2016, Altus Press published the other crossover book, this time featuring a meeting between King Kong and Tarzan. The novel, called King Kong vs. Tarzan, was once again written by Will Murray and featured artwork by DeVito.[213] In 2017, a new book featuring another origin story, written and illustrated by DeVito, was released, called King Kong of Skull Island.[214] Expanded versions of the book titled King Kong Skull Island: Exodus and King Kong Skull Island: The Wall were released by Markosia in 2020.[215]

In March 2017, to coincide with the release of Kong: Skull Island, Titan Books released a novelization of the film written by Tim Lebbon and a hardcover book The Art and Making of Kong: Skull Island by Simon Ward.[216]

In 2021, to coincide with the release of Godzilla vs. Kong, various tie-in books were released. On March 30, Legendary Comics released a graphic prequel novel called Kingdom Kong written by Marie Anello,[217] as well as a children's picture book called Kong and Me written by Kiki Thorpe and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani.[218] On April 6, Titan Books released Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization written by Greg Keyes.[219] Insight Editions released a children's board book called Godzilla vs. Kong: Sometimes Friends Fight (But They Always Make Up) written by Carol Herring,[220] and on May 21, also released Godzilla vs. Kong: One Will Fall, The Art of the Ultimate Battle Royale written by Daniel Wallace.[221]

In April 2024, to coincide with the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Titan Books will release a novelization of the film written by Greg Keyes.[222]

Theme park rides

[edit]
Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal's Islands of Adventure.

Universal Studios has had popular King Kong attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California and Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The first King Kong attraction was called King Kong Encounter and was a part of the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood. Based upon the 1976 film King Kong, the tour took the guests in the world of 1976 New York City, where Kong was seen wreaking havoc on the city. It was opened on June 14, 1986, and was destroyed on June 1, 2008, in a major fire. Universal opened a replacement 3D King Kong ride called King Kong: 360 3-D that opened on July 1, 2010, based upon Peter Jackson's 2005 film King Kong.[223][224]

A second more elaborate ride was constructed at Universal Studios Florida on June 7, 1990, called Kongfrontation. The ride featured a stand-alone extended version of King Kong Encounter and pinned guests escaping on the Roosevelt Island Tramway from Kong, who was rampaging across New York City. The ride was closed down on September 8, 2002, and was replaced with Revenge of the Mummy on May 21, 2004.

A new King Kong attraction titled Skull Island: Reign of Kong opened at Islands of Adventure on July 13, 2016,[225] making it the first King Kong themed ride in Orlando since Kongfrontation closed down 14 years earlier at Universal Studios Florida.

A Kong ride made by HUSS Park Attractions also appeared in Changzhou China Dinosaur Park and was opened in 2010. In this ride Kong will pick up the wagon, lower it down and tilt it all kinds of directions.[226]

Musical

[edit]
Further information: King Kong (2013 musical)

A musical adaptation of the story (endorsed by Merian C. Cooper's estate)[227] was staged in Melbourne at the Regent Theatre. The show premiered on June 15, 2013, as King Kong: The Eighth Wonder of The World, with music by Marius De Vries. The musical then premiered on Broadway on November 8, 2018, at the Broadway Theatre as King Kong: Alive on Broadway. The creative team included book writer Jack Thorne, director-choreographer Drew McOnie, and Australian songwriter Eddie Perfect, who replace the former creatives.[228]

The huge King Kong puppet was created by Global Creature Technology.[229] The puppet stands 20 feet tall and weighs 2,400 pounds. It is operated by a large rig with 10 onstage puppeteers,[230] and features an array of microprocessors and tiny motors that power nuanced movements in the facial features.[231] According to Sonny Tilders, who designed the Fiberglas and steel puppet for Global Creatures Company, "It's the most sophisticated marionette puppet ever made". Tilders also stated that Kong is built in layers, and is "quite similar to genuine anatomy". Over the steel skeleton, the body shell is a mixture of hard Fiberglas, enforced inflatables, high-pressure inflatables, and bags full of styrene beans that stretch and contort like muscles. Tilders said that they wanted to create the sense that Kong is a moving sculpture.[232]

Other appearances

[edit]

King Kong had three cameos in Warner Bros films:

Other references

[edit]
  • King Kong, in name only, was referenced by Ian Malcolm as a sarcastic remark toward the gates of Jurassic Park in the titular 1993 film.
  • A frame of King Kong in the 1933 film can be seen for a split second during the 2008 monster film Cloverfield.[236]
  • Both King Kong and Skull Island were referenced and made multiple appearances in the 2019 film Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

See also

[edit]

King Kong in the name

[edit]
A publicity still of Isamu Yamaguchi playing King Kong on stage from Wasei Kingu Kongu.

There were other unofficial movies to have borne the "King Kong" name:

  • A lost silent Japanese short, Japanese King Kong (和製キングコング, Wasei Kingu Kongu), directed by Torajiro Saito, featuring an all-Japanese cast and produced by the Shochiku company, was released in 1933. The plot revolves around a down-on-his-luck man who plays the King Kong character in a vaudeville theater to earn money to woo a girl he likes. The film does not actually involve King Kong per se.
  • The King Kong That Appeared in Edo (江戸に現れたキングコング, Edo ni Arawareta Kingu Kongu): a lost two-part silent Japanese period piece that was produced by a company called Zensho Kinema in 1938. The film revolves around kidnapping and revenge amongst the characters. The "King Kong" in this film is a trained ape (that looks more like a Yeti) who is used to kidnap one of the characters. Judging by the plot synopsis presented by periodicals at the time, the "King Kong" is regular-sized and is only depicted as gigantic on the advertisements for promotional purposes.[237]
  • The 1959 Hong Kong film King Kong's Adventures in the Heavenly Palace (猩猩王大鬧天宮), which features a normal-sized gorilla.[238]
  • The Hindi films King Kong (1962) and Tarzan and King Kong (1965), which feature the professional wrestler King Kong and have nothing to do with the famous movie monster, although the latter film features a normal-sized gorilla.
  • The 1968 Italian film Kong Island (Eva, la Venere selvaggia, lit. 'Eve, the wild Venus'), which was advertised in the U.S. as King of Kong Island. Despite the American title, the film features normal-sized gorillas and takes place in Africa.
  • The 1981 Mexican film Las Muñecas Del King Kong (The Dolls of King Kong), which features exotic jungle girls. The "King Kong" in the film is simply a giant ape statue on top of a building.
[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Ownership over the RKO Radio Pictures-produced 1933 films King Kong and Son of Kong were passed on to Warner Bros. (via Turner Entertainment Co.)[2] Warner Bros. also owns Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), with Toho Co., Ltd retaining distribution rights to the latter two films in Japan
  2. ^ Universal owns the 2005 remake King Kong, Kong-related theme park attractions, and the copyright to the American versions of King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes; Toho Co., Ltd retains exclusive distribution in the Far East for the Japanese versions of King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes.[3][4]
  3. ^ Ownership over the 1976 remake King Kong and its 1986 sequel King Kong Lives were inherited by StudioCanal after they absorbed De Laurentiis Entertainment Group. Paramount Pictures retains domestic distribution of the 1976 remake.[5]
  4. ^ See King Kong vs. Godzilla § Box office
  5. ^ See King Kong Escapes § Box office
  6. ^ See King Kong Lives § Box office
  7. ^ Starting with the 49th Academy Awards (1977) and 90th Academy Awards (2018), the Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing categories were consolidated into a single Best Sound category.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Morton 2005, p. 5.
  2. ^ "Turner Broadcasting System Inc DEFM14A". Securities and Exchange Commission. September 17, 1996. Retrieved May 10, 2010. Katz, Brandon (September 5, 2019). "WarnerMedia Can Compete With Disney—Here's How". Observer. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Masters, Kim (September 16, 2015). "Hollywood Gorilla Warfare: It's Universal vs. Legendary Over Kong: Skull Island (and Who Says "Thank You")". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Ryfle 1998, p. 87.
  5. ^ Perry, Spencer (April 2, 2021). "The Wild and Complicated Story of the Rights to King Kong". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1989). The Encyclopedia of Monsters. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0-8160-1824-3.
  7. ^ Weaver, Tom (2014). The Creature Chronicles: Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy. McFarland & Company. p. 30. ISBN 978-0786494187.
  8. ^ Wudunn, Sheryl (April 4, 1997). "Tomoyuki Tanaka, the Creator of Godzilla, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 26, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Memories of Ishiro Honda. Twenty Years After The Passing Of Godzilla's Famed Director by Hajime Ishida. Famous Monsters of Filmland #269. Movieland Classics LLC, 2013. Pg. 20
  10. ^ Mottram, James (2021). Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History. Insight Editions. p. 17. ISBN 978-1683835455.
  11. ^ Jones, James Earl (Host) (1995). The Making of Jurassic Park (VHS). Universal.
  12. ^ Latson, Jennifer (March 2, 2015). "How King Kong Gripped Audiences, Despite Ham-Handed Effects". Time. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Oguri, Austin (February 22, 2022). "King Kong: The 1933 Original, Still Mighty Decades Later". Hollywood Insider. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Haar, Kara (March 9, 2017). "King Kong Through the Years: How the Giant Gorilla Has Evolved Since 1933". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  15. ^ Jedicke, Philipp (March 2, 2023). "King Kong: A brief history of a 90-year-old movie icon". DW. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  16. ^ Guerrasio, Jason; Shamsian, Jacob; Loudenback, Tanza (August 27, 2020). "The biggest box-office movie that came out the year you were born". Insider. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  17. ^ Rothman, Lily; Ronk, Liz (March 10, 2017). "King Kong: When the Awesome One Showed His Might". Life. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Reed, Betsy (June 18, 1999). "The Kingmaker". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  19. ^ Berman, Eliza (March 9, 2017). "5 Photos That Show How King Kong Revolutionized Movie Special Effects". Time. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  20. ^ Oller, Jacob (October 2, 2017). "The King of Clay: Willis H. O'Brien's Stop-Motion Reality". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  21. ^ Newman, Kim (March 1, 2006). "King Kong: The Legend Reborn Review". Empire. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  22. ^ Symkus, Ed (March 15, 2020). "Here's why the original 'King Kong' is still one of the greatest films of all time". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  23. ^ Farnell, Chris (January 19, 2023). "King Kong: When Peter Jackson Tried to Bring Horror to Blockbuster Cinema". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  24. ^ Schickel, Richard (January 14, 2010). "King Kong – Best Movies of All Times". Time. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  25. ^ Amos, Jim (March 2, 2020). "Back On Cinema Screens After 65 Years, Why King Kong Remains the Greatest Movie Spectacle of All-Time". Forbes. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  26. ^ Barber, Nicholas (March 1, 2023). "King Kong at 90: The greatest monster film ever made". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Ryfle 1998, p. 80–81.
  28. ^ Ryfle 1998, p. 84.
  29. ^ a b Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 191.
  30. ^ Nakamura et al. 2014, p. 162.
  31. ^ Galbraith IV 2008, p. 194.
  32. ^ a b c Ryfle 1998, p. 79.
  33. ^ Patches, Matt (July 25, 2019). "Criterion reveals the collection's 1000th disc: the ultimate Godzilla set". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  34. ^ Aiken, Keith (December 20, 2008). "King Kong Cartoon Series Guide". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  35. ^ Ryfle 1998, p. 135.
  36. ^ a b Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 239.
  37. ^ Hayes, Dade (August 7, 2017). "Haruo Nakajima, the Man Inside the Godzilla Suit, Dies at 88". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  38. ^ Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 243.
  39. ^ a b c Lambie, Ryan (March 10, 2017). "The Struggles of King Kong '76". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  40. ^ THE PRODUCER TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW "KING KONG" Anonymous. American Cinematographer; Hollywood Vol. 58, Iss. 1, (Jan 1977): 40-42.
  41. ^ 'Kong' Battle Advances By ALJEAN HARMETZ. New York Times 27 Jan 1978: C20.
  42. ^ Gross, Edward (October 1986). "King Kong Lives". Fangoria. No. 58. p. 10.
  43. ^ Goldman, Lowell (November 1990). "Lord of Disaster". Starlog. p. 70.
  44. ^ A DYLAN THOMAS SCRIPT, BUT, ALAS, LITTLE ELSE Ryan, Desmond. Philadelphia Inquirer 27 Oct 1985: I.2.
  45. ^ GIANT ROLE Orlando Sentinel 29 Mar 1986: A2.
  46. ^ Mathews, Jack (December 24, 1986). "'Kong Lives' Dies At Box Office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  47. ^ "King Kong Lives (1986)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  48. ^ Sage, Tyler (December 19, 2021). "35 Years Ago: Why King Kong Lives Died a Quick Box Office Death". Ultimate Classic Rock and Culture. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  49. ^ Ryfle 1998, p. 293.
  50. ^ a b c Morton 2005, p. 316–329.
  51. ^ Snyder, Gabriel (May 22, 2005). "It's a jungle out there". Variety. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  52. ^ a b Pryor 2004, p. 209–210.
  53. ^ a b Fleming, Michael (March 30, 2003). "Universal going ape for 'Kong'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  54. ^ a b Woods 2005, p. 176–187.
  55. ^ Chitwood, Adam (February 5, 2021). "Peter Jackson's Original Version of King Kong Was Very, Very Different". Collider. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  56. ^ Mitchell, Nigel (August 5, 2016). "King of Kong: Every "King Kong" Movie Ranked From Worst to Best". CBR.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  57. ^ Epting, Claire (March 12, 2021). "Every 'King Kong' Movie Ranked From Worst to Best". ScreenCrush. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  58. ^ Rowell, Dalin (October 5, 2021). "Every King Kong Movie Ranked From Worst To Best". /Film. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  59. ^ "Kong: The Animated Series (TV Series)". FilmAffinity. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  60. ^ Cotter, Padraig (January 9, 2022). "How Kong: The Animated Series Resurrected The Ape Following His Movie Death". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  61. ^ Gawaran, Alyssa (May 17, 2022). "King Kong: All Movies in Order". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  62. ^ Sibley 2006, p. 526–542.
  63. ^ "The 2005 Top Ten's". Awards Watch. Archived from the original on March 24, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
  64. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 18, 2005). "Ebert's Best 10 Movies of 2005". rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on November 17, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
  65. ^ "The 78th Academy Awards (2006) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  66. ^ "Oscars 2006: The nominees". BBC News. London. January 31, 2006. Archived from the original on February 3, 2006. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  67. ^ Erickson, Glenn (November 21, 2005). "DVD Savant Review: King Kong Two Disc Special Edition (1933)". DVDTalk. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  68. ^ Johnson, Rich (April 7, 2023). "Beast Master: King Kong At 90". Fangoria. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  69. ^ a b Davids, Brian (March 30, 2021). "Why Godzilla vs. Kong Director Adam Wingard Treated Kong Like an '80s Action Hero". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  70. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 28, 2014). "Comic-Con: Legendary Wants Joe Cornish for Skull Island". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  71. ^ Han, Angie (July 31, 2014). "Peter Jackson Would Like Guillermo Del Toro to Direct 'Skull Island'". /Film. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  72. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 16, 2014). "Legendary's 'Skull Island'; Tom Hiddleston Stars, Jordan Vogt-Roberts Helms King Kong Origin Tale". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  73. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 10, 2015). "King Kong On Move To Warner Bros, Presaging Godzilla Monster Matchup". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  74. ^ "Legendary and Warner Bros. Pictures Announce Cinematic Franchise Uniting Godzilla, King Kong and Other Iconic Giant Monsters" (Press release). Legendary Pictures. October 14, 2015. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  75. ^ Ford, Rebecca; Masters, Kim (January 17, 2017). "Thomas Tull to Exit Legendary Entertainment (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 19, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  76. ^ McKittrick, Christopher (March 9, 2017). "'Every movie is its own beast.' Max Borenstein on Kong: Skull Island". Creative Screenwriting. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  77. ^ Sampson, Mike (September 15, 2015). "Has the 'Kong: Skull Island' Plot Been Revealed?". ScreenCrush. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  78. ^ Eisenberg, Eric (March 10, 2017). "One Change Kong: Skull Island Made To Its Script That Resulted in a Totally Different Movie". Cinemablend. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  79. ^ Smith, C. Molly (November 10, 2016). "Kong: Skull Island unleashes exclusive first look at the movie monster". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  80. ^ Sullivan, Kevin P. (May 11, 2016). "Kong: Skull Island: Toby Kebbell reveals who is playing King Kong". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  81. ^ Shanley, Patrick (March 10, 2017). "Skull Island: Kong Motion-Capture Actor on Sequel Plans and Seeking Andy Serkis' Blessing?". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  82. ^ Mann, Thomas (March 18, 2016). "That's a wrap. 📷 by @tutututuuuu". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  83. ^ Goldberg, Matt (March 10, 2017). "'Kong: Skull Island': What Did You Think?". Collider. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  84. ^ Mendelson, Scott (March 13, 2017). "'Kong: Skull Island': Four Lessons For 'Justice League' And The DC Films Franchise". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  85. ^ "Kong: Skull Island (2017)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  86. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (January 16, 2018). "Visual Effects Society Awards: 'Apes,' 'Blade Runner 2049' Lead Feature Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  87. ^ Cullins, Ashley (April 28, 2016). "Legendary, Warner Bros. Sued for Allegedly Stealing Kong: Skull Island Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  88. ^ Spangler, Todd (October 1, 2014). "Netflix Orders King Kong Movie, Animated Series from Avi Arad". Variety. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  89. ^ Akhtar, Iyaz (March 22, 2016). "Everything coming and going on Netflix for April 2016". CNET. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  90. ^ Aiken, Keith (May 10, 2015). "Godzilla Unmade: The History of Jan De Bont's Unproduced TriStar Film – Part 1 of 4". Scifi Japan. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  91. ^ Kit, Borys (March 10, 2017). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Film Sets Writers Room (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  92. ^ Kit, Borys (May 30, 2017). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Finds Its Director With Adam Wingard (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 31, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  93. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 18, 2017). "King Kong Female-Led TV Series In Works At MarVista Entertainment & IM Global TV". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  94. ^ "Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Entertainment's Monsterverse Shifts into Overdrive as Cameras Roll on the Next Big-Screen Adventure "Godzilla Vs. Kong"". Business Wire. November 12, 2018. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  95. ^ Collis, Clark (April 20, 2019). "Godzilla vs. Kong wraps shooting". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  96. ^ "Extract: "Animating Kong" — Godzilla vs Kong visual effects by Weta Digital". The Illusion Almanac. May 28, 2021. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  97. ^ Failes, Ian (April 15, 2021). "How Kong's ocean showdown with Godzilla was made". Befores & Afters. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  98. ^ Pearson, Ben (February 26, 2021). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Clip: Whoever Wins, Boats Lose". /Film. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  99. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (January 26, 2021). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Release Date Moves Back a Week". Variety. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  100. ^ Alexander, Susannah (March 29, 2021). "Godzilla vs Kong's Rotten Tomatoes score revealed as film gets positive reviews". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  101. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (April 5, 2021). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Is a Box Office and HBO Max Hit. Will It Shake Up the Future of Moviegoing?". Variety. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  102. ^ Tran, Kevin (May 3, 2021). "Did 'Mortal Kombat' Do More for HBO Max Than 'Godzilla vs. Kong'?". Variety. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  103. ^ "Godzilla vs. Kong". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  104. ^ Ortiz, Andi (January 26, 2022). "'Zack Snyder's Justice League,' 'Black Widow' Among 2021's Most Pirated Movies". TheWrap. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  105. ^ Ray-Ramos, Dino (January 27, 2021). "Netflix And Legendary To Expand 'Skull Island' And 'Tomb Raider' Universes With New Anime Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  106. ^ Hamman, Cody (May 23, 2023). "Skull Island: teaser trailer released for Netflix's MonsterVerse animated series". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  107. ^ Tulich, Katherine (March 20, 2022). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Sequel to Film in Australia". Variety. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  108. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 12, 2022). "Godzilla vs. Kong 2: Dan Stevens Reunites With The Guest Director Adam Wingard On Legendary Sequel". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  109. ^ Paz, Maggie Dela (July 29, 2022). "Legendary's Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel Begins Production in Australia". Comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  110. ^ Jackson, James; Whitbrook, Gordon (November 11, 2022). "The Next Godzilla Movie Has an Unsurprising Title". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  111. ^ Coley, Samantha (May 5, 2024). "The Best Fight Sequence in 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Almost Didn't Make the Cut". Collider. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  112. ^ Tangcay, Jazz; Flam, Charna (April 19, 2023). "Godzilla x Kong Sequel Gets New Title – Film News in Brief". Variety. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  113. ^ McClintock, Pamela (January 9, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Moves Up Release in Theaters to Late March, 'Mickey 17' Delayed". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  114. ^ Kit, Borys (May 10, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Follow-Up Enlists 'Shang Chi' Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  115. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 23, 2022). "King Kong Live-Action Series in Works at Disney+ from Stephany Folsom, James Wan's Atomic Monster & Disney Branded TV". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  116. ^ Northrup, Ryan (January 12, 2024). "Monarch Season 1 Ending & Surprise Cameo Explained By Creators". Screenrant. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  117. ^ a b c d e "AFI Catalog - King Kong (1933)". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  118. ^ a b c Ryfle 1998, p. 353.
  119. ^ a b c "King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)". The Criterion Collection. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  120. ^ Parlevliet, Mirko (August 25, 2022). "Godzilla vs Kong Sequel Starts Filming". Vital Thrills. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  121. ^ a b "Origins". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  122. ^ "Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro FAQ (How are grosses adjusted for ticket price inflation?)". IMDb. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  123. ^ "Statistics of Film Industry in Japan". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. Archived from the original on May 5, 2005. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  124. ^ Jewel, Richard (1994). "RKO Film Grosses: 1931–1951". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 14 (1): 39.
  125. ^ "King Kong (1933) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  126. ^ "«Кинг Конг» (King Kong, 1933)". KinoPoisk (in Russian). Archived from the original on May 8, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  127. ^ Jewel, Richard (1994). "RKO Film Grosses: 1931–1951". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 14 (1): 55.
  128. ^ Goozner, Merrill (August 28, 1994). "Fire-Breathing Godzilla Blowing Out 40 Candles". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  129. ^ "King Kong (1976)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  130. ^ "Top Lifetime Adjusted Grosses (Rank 401-600)". Box Office Mojo. p. 3. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  131. ^ "King Kong Lives (1986)". Box Office Mojo. July 5, 1988. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  132. ^ "King Kong Lives, 1986 - Dates". KinoPoisk (in Russian). Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  133. ^ "King Kong (2005)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on February 23, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  134. ^ "Film #23728: King Kong". Lumiere. European Audiovisual Observatory. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  135. ^ "Movies With Box Office Gross Receipts Exceeding 1 Billion Yen". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. 2006. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  136. ^ "Kong: Skull Island". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  137. ^ "Top Lifetime Adjusted Grosses (Rank 601-800)". Box Office Mojo. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  138. ^ "Movies With Box Office Gross Receipts Exceeding 1 Billion Yen". Eiren. Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan. 2017. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  139. ^ "Godzilla vs. Kong". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  140. ^ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) - Financial Information".
  141. ^ "King Kong (1933)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on December 30, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  142. ^ "King Kong (1933) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  143. ^ "Son of Kong (1933)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  144. ^ "The Son of Kong Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  145. ^ "King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  146. ^ "King Kong vs. Godzilla Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  147. ^ "King Kong (1976)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  148. ^ "King Kong (1976) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  149. ^ "King Kong Lives (1986)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  150. ^ "King Kong Lives Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  151. ^ "King Kong (2005)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  152. ^ "King Kong (2005) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  153. ^ "Kong: Skull Island". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  154. ^ "Kong: Skull Island (2017) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  155. ^ "Godzilla vs Kong (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  156. ^ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  157. ^ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  158. ^ "1977 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. October 5, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  159. ^ Variety Staff (January 23, 2018). "Oscar Nominations 2018: The Complete List". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  160. ^ Hinsley, F. H.; Simkins, C. A. G. (1990). British Intelligence in the Second World War: Volume 4, Security and Counter-Intelligence. Cambridge University Press. p. 373.
  161. ^ "AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  162. ^ Sleeve notes, Waterloo re-issue, Carl Magnus Palm, 2014
  163. ^ "AWM Studio Productions".[permanent dead link‍]
  164. ^ "Godzilla Daikaiju Battle Royale". www.awmstudioproductions.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  165. ^ "Home Page". Sunstone Games. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  166. ^ "Sunstone Games Community Forums". kaijucombat.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  167. ^ "Colossal Kaiju Combat™: Kaijuland Battles on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  168. ^ "Kaiju Combat : The Ultimate Giant Monster Fighting Game | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  169. ^ "KONG VR: Destination Skull Island - YouTube". www.youtube.com. February 27, 2017. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  170. ^ "Tiger King Kong". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  171. ^ "King Kong (US) Box Shot for Atari 2600". GameFAQs. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  172. ^ "Tiger King Kong LCD". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  173. ^ "Tiger King Kong Large Screen". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  174. ^ "Tandy King Kong LCD". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  175. ^ "Tiger King Kong (Orlitronic)". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  176. ^ "Tiger King Kong Color". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  177. ^ "Grandstand King Kong New York". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  178. ^ "Epoch King Kong Jungle". Handheldmuseum.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  179. ^ "King Kong 2 Box Shots and Screenshots for MSX". GameFAQs. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  180. ^ "The Internet Pinball Machine Database". Ipdb.org. November 20, 1931. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  181. ^ "Kong: The Animated Series (US) Box Shot for Game Boy Advance". GameFAQs. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  182. ^ Game photo Archived January 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (jpg image). tinypic.com
  183. ^ "Kong: King of Atlantis (US) Box Shot for Game Boy Advance". GameFAQs. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  184. ^ "King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie Review". gamespot.com. December 15, 2005. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  185. ^ "Radio Shack KING KONG Electronic Pinball Toy Game". worthpoint.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  186. ^ "CR伝説の巫女". Archived from the original on June 3, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). taiyoelec.co.jp (November 2007)
  187. ^ "Raw Thrills Goes VR: King Kong of Skull Island VR First Venture Into Virtual for Legendary Game Maker". RePlaymag.com. February 2021. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  188. ^ "Kong Invades Toho's 'Godzilla Battle Line' as Part of 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Promotion". Bloodydisgusting.com. June 29, 2021. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  189. ^ "Call of Duty: Warzone getting Godzilla and King Kong crossover". Polygon. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  190. ^ "Godzilla vs. Kong' returns to 'World of Warships' in August Update". Bloodydisgusting.com. August 8, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  191. ^ "Call of Duty's New Godzilla x Kong Finisher Is Intense". March 7, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  192. ^ "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Official Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Bundles Trailer". March 28, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  193. ^ "Call of Duty Players Say New King Kong Glove That Costs More in COD Points Than the Game Itself Isn't Worth Buying". April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  194. ^ "Godzilla x Evony:The Kings Return". February 18, 2023. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  195. ^ "GODZILLA VS. KONG Gets the Pinball FX Treatment for a Battle Royale". Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  196. ^ "King Kong Returns to Video Games With Action-Adventure Title Skull Island: Rise of Kong". July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  197. ^ "Godzilla x Kong: Titan Chasers Is Currently Taking Pre-Registrations". April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  198. ^ "A Trio Of Monsterverse Games Are Coming Later This Year, Including One Inside Roblox". Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  199. ^ "Legendary Announces Trio of Upcoming Monsterverse Games". Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  200. ^ "The Creator of Rampage Reveals the Game's Undiscovered Easter Egg and Gushes about The Rock". syfywire. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  201. ^ "News Bits". GamePro. No. 92. IDG. May 1996. p. 21.
  202. ^ "KING KONG Published Fiction, Pre-2005. The Original Hardcover". www.fullyarticulated.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  203. ^ "Joe DeVito (Creator/Illustrator of Kong: King of Skull Island)". Scifidimensions.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  204. ^ Goldner, Orville; Turner, George (1975). The Making of King Kong: The Story Behind a Film Classic Hardcover. A.S. Barnes & Co. p. 58. ISBN 978-0498015106.
  205. ^ Goldner, Orville; Turner, George (1975). The Making of King Kong: The Story Behind a Film Classic Hardcover. A.S. Barnes & Co. p. 59. ISBN 978-0498015106.
  206. ^ "King Kong :: KING KONG (1932)". king-kong.fansforum.info. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  207. ^ "King Kong unleashed by StarWarp Concepts". flickeringmyth.com. February 21, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  208. ^ "King Kong". tebeosfera.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  209. ^ "Mystery Magazine scan". Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  210. ^ Boy's Magazine Cover Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (jpg image).tinypic.us
  211. ^ "After King Kong Fell". Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  212. ^ Moring, Matthew (January 29, 2012). "Press Release: Doc Savage and King Kong Coming in March" (Press release). Altus Press. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
  213. ^ "THE ULTIMATE RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE!: King Kong Vs. Tarzan Arrives This Summer!". Forces of Geek. March 9, 2016. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  214. ^ "FOG! Chats With Author/Artist Joe DeVito About His 'King Kong of Skull Island' Kickstarter". Forces of Geek. March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  215. ^ "kongskullisland.com". Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  216. ^ "Official Kong: Skull Island Art Book and Movie Novelization announced!". Scified.com. September 1, 2016. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  217. ^ "Legendary Comics Unleashes Cover Art for Upcoming 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Graphic Novel Prequels". Bloodydisgusting.com. February 25, 2021. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  218. ^ "Legendary's MonsterVerse Heads into the World of Children's Books With 'Kong and Me'". Bloodydisgusting.com. February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  219. ^ "'Godzilla vs. Kong': The Official Movie Novelization Being Unleashed in April". Bloodydisgusting.com. February 16, 2021. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  220. ^ "'Godzilla vs. Kong: Sometimes Friends Fight': Preview of Upcoming Children's Book Will Warm Your Heart". Bloodydisgusting.com. February 15, 2021. Archived from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  221. ^ "Godzilla vs Kong News Roundup". tohokingdom.com. February 11, 2021. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  222. ^ "Official 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Novelization Releasing in April". Bloody Disgusting. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  223. ^ Mart, Hugo (January 27, 2010). "| King Kong to rejoin Universal tours in 3-D". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  224. ^ "Badass New Teaser Promo for Universal's New King Kong Ride". Dreadcentral.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  225. ^ "King Kong Roars to Life in Groundbreaking new Attraction". blog.universalorlando.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  226. ^ West, Mike (July 13, 2016). "Now Open – Skull Island: Reign of Kong". Universal Orlando Close Up. Universal Orlando Resort. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  227. ^ "King Kong Musical Aiming for Broadway in 2013; Creative Team Announced". Playbill. September 16, 2010. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  228. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy. "King Kong Musical Will Stomp onto Broadway in 2018" Archived September 30, 2018, at the Wayback Machine broadway.com, May 18, 2017
  229. ^ "King Kong Live on Stage at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne". Kingkongliveonstage.com. March 17, 2014. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  230. ^ "The new King of Broadway: Meet the King Kong musical's 2,000-pound puppet". EntertainmentWeekly. November 5, 2018. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  231. ^ "Inside the one-ton, history-making King Kong Broadway musical". SyFy. October 8, 2018. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  232. ^ "'King Kong': The beauty of the beast". Newsday. October 31, 2018. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  233. ^ Gelmini, David (February 3, 2017). "King Kong Will Appear in the Lego Batman Movie". DreadCentral. Dreadcentral.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  234. ^ Sprague, Mike (December 12, 2017). "Did You Catch Chucky and King Kong's Cameo in the Trailer For Steven Spielberg's New Movie?". DreadCentral. Dreadcentral.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  235. ^ Dressler, Jacob (April 3, 2021). "'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Shows Off Pennywise, King Kong, And More". Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  236. ^ Squires, John (February 22, 2017). "Did You Ever Spot Hidden King Kong Tribute in 'Cloverfield'?". Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  237. ^ 高槻真樹 (Maki Takatsuki) (2014). 戦前日本ＳＦ映画創世記 ゴジラは何でできているか (Senzen Nihon SF Eiga Souseiki) (in Japanese). 河出書房新社 (Kawadeshobo Shinsha publishing). pp. 183–188.
  238. ^ "猩猩王大闹天宫 (豆瓣)". movie.douban.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  239. ^ The Ongoing Travels of King Kong Archived June 9, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Roberthood.net (June 11, 2010). Retrieved on December 21, 2012.
  240. ^ Ape (1976) Archived December 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. imdb.com

Bibliography

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_Kong_(franchise)&oldid=1254778166"