A freighter that most landlubbers would not look at twice (But TORN discovered more than 2 months ago -Xo) is getting an overhaul befitting a movie star in Wellington. The Manuia is gradually being transformed as part of a remake of King Kong into director Peter Jackson's version of the SS Venture, immortalised in the original 1933 film as the ship that took the great ape from Skull Island to New York. But while it is some of the first evidence that production of the remake draws closer, those even remotely connected to the ship's modifications at its berth at Miramar wharf are tight-lipped. [More]

Disturbing news for those that want to see PJ making 'The Hobbit' straight after he wraps up with King Kong. ComingSoon.net reports today that Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are currently in talks to adapt Alice Sebold's best-selling novel The Lovely Bones. No deal has been signed yet, just rumors... [More]

Peter Jackson, already one of the world's most successful movie directors, is expected to earn even more money creating video games based on his films, The New York Times says. The paper said Jackson, who with fellow Oscar winners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens is being paid a record $34 million to make King Kong, worked out a deal with game maker Ubisoft and the film's backer, Universal Pictures. [More]

JR writes: I went to my brother’s graduation on April 6th in the Auckland Town Hall and the guest speaker was Matt Aitken (Digital Models Supervisor at WETA Digital). [More]

Thanks to Ringer Charmed Sister for the tip on this New York Times article: Peter Jackson, who made "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is entering the rarefied club of Hollywood movie directors who are expected to earn as much money — or even more — from helping create video games as from making movies... [More]

Dozens of Ringers emailed us with directions to a list of the ten best movie monsters (according to film experts). The 1933 King Kong came in first while Shelob can be found on the sixth spot! [More]

Jeff Wells writes: All along we've been hearing that Peter Jackson's KING KONG, which will begin filming in New Zealand roughly four months from now, is going to be a reverent semi-tribute to Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack's 's 1933 original. That concept is now, in my judgement, pretty much out the window and in the trash can. But before we get to the dreaded specifics. [More]