LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 - When the producers of the upcoming movie "Halo" sought a location for shooting, they headed to the director Peter Jackson's studio in New Zealand. Mr. Jackson's soundstages were empty, since he had finished directing and writing a remake of the movie "King Kong." And Mr. Jackson was an avid gamer who admired the futuristic universe of "Halo," the video game on which the movie was to be based. Universal Pictures, which is making the "Halo" movie, also got the 43-year-old director himself; they made him an executive producer who would offer creative input while sharing in the movie's profits. Few movies based on video games are easy blockbusters: just this weekend, the movie based on the video game Doom made its debut and early estimates showed that it took in only $15.4 million at the domestic box office, below expectations. [More]

Kong has sold out...I think it has something to do with that PD we just posted...it has all gone to his head. ReturnOfTheKong posted this commercial for Feh Tissues featuring the big guy himself...jeez..hope you got a good agent buddy! (4.9MB MPG) [More]

From IGN: Skull Island… a legend to those who dared brave the waters off the coast of Sumatra. Existing for centuries outside man's known world, some said the island was lost in time; inhabited by creatures of a bygone era. Scientists said the island was doomed, a victim of its own natural, geological forces. Fortunately, one year before its demise, an expeditionary team known as Project Legacy was created. Led by Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor, and funded by prominent universities and private organizations, they set out to explore the island and document their findings. The expedition's heretofore unseen journals, photographs, illustrations and detailed notes will soon be released to the public with the publication of World of Kong: A Natural History of Skull Island. [More]

Keith Aiken, writer and editor for the Japanese fantasy film site Henshin! Online, writes: Over the past few years I've helped the American Cinematheque in Los Angleles on a pair of Godzilla film festivals (which included screenings of the two Toho King Kong films). Now I'm working with them, Warner Bros, and Every Picture Tells A Story on a film festival devoted to a certain Eighth Wonder of the World. [More]

Bruce writes: Just a quick note that Richard Taylors talk from Friday Preview Night at Supanova is now out. [More]

Kong is King! Or at least the '33 model is treated like one at the Wellywood studios in New Zealand. Bob Burns and his wife visit the production with a very special guest, the original King Kong model. The Burns' get to shoot a special cameo for the 2005 film (also Peter's final live action shot) and the model makes its way around the studio...easily distracting everyone in sight. Then something very VERY special happens...I am not going to spoil it for you...you'll have to see for yourself! Take a look!

UPDATE: Please Note: We have removed this PPD Entry for the time being, it will be back up soon...watch this space for more info!

And don't miss our latest addition to the Kong History section, a 360 turnaround of the Kong Model! [Kong History]

Email us your questions and PJ may answer them in a future Post Production Diary!

Like what you see? Discuss it in our Chat Room! [Click Here] Or the Message Boards? [Click Here]

Coxhm writes: Sydney's Supanova Pop Culture Convention was on the 15-17th October. Richard Taylor and John Rhys Davies were there to represent Lord of the Rings and WETA. Richard was his normal chatty, friendly informative self. He indulges the Ringers present but also talked about King Kong and Narnia. [More]

It is time to come together and talk Kong! The chatroom has been a great success, however some people have been popping in at odd hours when there is no one to chat with. To that end we've devised 2 KONG Chat times, a set time and day of the week for all Kong chatters to meet and have fun! Tonight's chat will be at 5:30PM Eastern Standard Time (click here for more info). World times are below, if you need more help click here.

5:30PM (Saturday) EST in New York, Montreal
2:30PM (Saturday) PST in Los Angeles, Seattle
11:30PM (Saturday) (Central European Time)
7:30AM (Sunday) in Sydney
9:30AM (Sunday) in Auckland, Wellington

anonymous writes: Guests from Weta Digital, Weta Workshop and Big Primate Pictures will be attending Auckland's Armageddon Pulp Culture Expo in October to participate in a behind the scenes panel on King Kong. The hour-long discussion will take place on the main stage from 12:00-1:00pm Sunday, October 23rd. [pulpexpo.com]

Howard writes: I thought you might be interested to know that my late friend Mildred Shay was one of the many starlets who tested for the role of Ann Darrow back in 1932/33. She and Frances Lee both had screen tests for the part opposite an actor called David Rollins. Mildred always joked that Fay (who was also a good and lifelong friend of mildred's) had better lungs! Anyway I thought you'd be interested - btw a fantastic website! [More]

Work conditions on the set of King Kong were "unacceptable", a damning Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) report says. OSH investigated the King Kong set in the Wellington suburb of Miramar after 21kg of scaffolding fell on two workers on October 14, 2004 (See 'King Kong crew members injured at Jackson studio'). Steve McNicol and Byron Sparrow were taken to hospital with lacerations, and one also suffered concussion and a broken shoulder blade in the accident. Labour Department health and safety chief adviser Mike Cosman said they were lucky not to be killed. The production company Big Primate, which is owned by Universal City Studios in California, was not prosecuted. [More]

Gandalf writes: The October edition of PC PowerPlay Magazine features this article on the King Kong Game. Some new images in this article and some very positive comments about the game, well worth a look. "PCPP sent Alexander James Burke and Timothy C. Best into the jungles of Skull Island, on the trail of a creature simply known as Peter Jackson's King Kong. They never returned, but some half-chewed film reels made it out and, strangely, they contained this report." [More]

Those Ladies in Gaming, the Fragdolls managed to corner 'King Kong' game creator Michel Ancel recently and got him to talk King Kong! Take a listen to the audio interview. (MP3 Streaming) [More]

It is time to come together and talk Kong! The chatroom has been a great success, however some people have been popping in at odd hours when there is no one to chat with. To that end I've devised a KONG Chat time, a set time and day of the week for all Kong chatters to meet and have fun! The bi-weekly Kong Chats will be Thursday nights at 8:30PM Eastern Standard Time (a new Saturday chat has been added click here for more info). World times are below, if you need more help click here. [Kong Java Chat Room] [irc chat settings: SERVER www.theonering.net ROOM: #kongisking.net]

8:30PM (Thursday) EST in New York, Montreal
5:30PM (Thursday) PST in Los Angeles, Seattle
1:30AM (Friday) in GMT (UK)
2:30AM (Friday) (Central European Time)
10:30AM (Friday) in Sydney, Australia
12:30PM (Friday) in Auckland, Wellington, New Zealand

Gandalf sends along this article from the latest edtion of 'The Wellingtonian'. It talks about the close deadline for Kong and the replacement of Howard Shore. [More]

The awesome folks at Ubisoft are about to launch a contest to get your knees shaking, your heart a-pumping and your mouth drooling! Pick up 'Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie' and you could win an all expense paid trip to Wellington to visit WETA WORKSHOP!! That's right! You heard it here first folks! Swing on over to kingkonggame.com for full contest rules and details.

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NEW YORK, NY (October 10, 2005) – From the vaults of their considerable collection of cartoon classics, Classic Media is releasing King Kong: The Animated Series Volumes 1 and 2 on DVD. Each monster DVD contains six half-hour episodes that originally aired on ABC. Unseen for decades, this 1966 cult classic is set cause a rumble in the jungle and arrives just as the new King Kong movie hits the Cineplex this holiday season! King Kong: The Animated Series will be available on November 15 for $12.98 SRP each. [More]

Dana Jongewaard from 1up.com writes: Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson recently took time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions on his latest cinematic opus, King Kong. And, of course, to talk about Ubisoft's upcoming video game version, which has all the earmarks of being one of those rare and wonderful games based on a movie that stands on its own merits. [More]

The October/November issue of Pulp Magazine is out and features an article on Naomi Watts - "talking exclusively to Pulp about everything from acting to apes". [More]

George Turner writes: The following is based on the notes of three separate interviews, all of which were conducted at Mr. Delgado's home. Delgado was 67 the first time I met him. He exhibited some bitterness and even vehemence when he recalled the treatment accorded him by some of his past associates. He spoke highly of certain others, notably Merian Cooper, Ernest Schoedsack, Mario Larrinaga and E. B. Gibson. His feelings for his “discoverer,” Willis O'Brien seemed to approach reverence. Two scrap books of stills and test frame enlargements from some of his films were the only relics he had retained from his long career in motion pictures. [More]

Lee Cohen from Every Picture Tells A Story writes: A KING KONG Festival! with special guests JOE DeVITO, author of Kong, King of Skull Island and MARK COTTA VAZ, author of Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C.Cooper and special Kong screenings at the Aero Theatrer. [More]