Disney+ is in the early stages of development on a live-action King Kong series. The project from Disney Branded Television will be based on the 1933 film conceived by producer and director Merian C. Cooper and more recent novelizations by artist Joe DeVito, made in conjunction with Cooper’s estate.
Stephany Folsom (Prime Video’s Paper Girls) is attached to write a script and executive produce alongside James Wan (Aquaman), Michael Clear and Rob Hackett (via their Atomic Monster banner) and Dannie Festa of World Builder Entertainment.
This King Kong is not connected to the Monsterverse series from Legendary Entertainment, which has released two films featuring the giant ape (Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong) and is currently at work on a TV project at Apple TV+ and an animated Netflix show.
The Disney+ project is a serialized adventure story that will return to Skull Island, exploring the mythology and mystery of Kong’s home.
The 1933 King Kong was a hit with both critics and audiences and featured breakthrough special effects for its depiction of Kong. It has been remade twice, in 1976 (directed by John Guillermin) and 2005 (by Peter Jackson). Rights to the character are complicated; the Legendary films have only used the “Kong” part of the name to refer to the giant ape.
Folsom is repped by Verve, Kaplan/Perrone and Yorn Levine. Wan is repped by CAA, Stacey Testro International and Myman Greenspan.
Deadline first reported the news.
