Aug. 24 (UPI) — A great ape is heading to Disney+, as it was reported that a live-action “King Kong” series is in the early stages of development for the platform.
Deadline first reported on Tuesday that the project will be a serialized adventure saga exploring the origins of King Kong, and will be heavily based on the “King Kong” screenplay from Merian C. Cooper, who directed the original 1933 film.
“‘King Kong’ is a serialized action-adventure drama that brings the classic monster story into the modern age, with a return to Skull Island and the dawn of a new Kong,” Deadline said of the series.
Disney+ has not made any official comment on the show, although the news was corroborated by multiple other industry outlets, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
The series will be written by Stephany Folsom, best known for creating the hit Amazon Prime show “Paper Girls.” Folsom will also serve as an executive producer on the project.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that the Disney+ show will not be connected to Legendary Entertainment’s ‘Monsterverse’ film series, which includes 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island” and 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.”
No cast list, director or release window for the show has been announced.
The series will mark the latest in a line of adaptations featuring the monstrous gorilla.
Merian C. Cooper’s original 1933 film was released to critical acclaim and is often considered one of the best horror films of all time. Cooper’s use of stop motion to animate King Kong helped pave the way for similar techniques in the film industry.
Beyond Legendary’s Monsterverse, Kong was also seen on the big screen in 2005 as part of Peter Jackson‘s critically acclaimed remake of the original film.
The Disney+ series is the second television Kong project currently in development, with Netflix reportedly helming an anime show based on the ape called “Skull Island.”
Prior to Disney+ taking the reins, a previous live-action series was being created by MarVista Entertainment in 2017, but this show never came to fruition.
