20th Century Fox is developing an animated take on the 1933 classic King Kong, Deadline reports.
Said to be an modern re-telling of the “beauty and the beast” tale and told from Kong’s point of view, Christian Magalhaes and Robert Snow (who previously teamed for a short entitled “Bunny,” directed by Snow) are attached to draft the project with Shawn Levy’s company, 21 Laps, producing. Mike Weber, who holds the story credit, is also producing.
Since the Merian C. Cooper-produced original, King Kong has been remade or reimagined several times over, including in a direct sequel (also released in 1933) entitled Son of Kong. Two remakes were also done, one in 1976 (with a 1986 sequel King Kong Lives) and, more recently, a 2005 version directed by Peter Jackson. The character has also appeared in two Toho Studios films, King Kong vs. Godzilla (where the ape ultimately bests the reptilian beast) and King Kong Escapes.
Previously animated for “The King Kong Show” in 1966, Kong, whose trademark has been a legal question for decades, also appeared in the “unofficial” cartoon “Kong: The Animated Series,” which aired in 2001.
