From the dudes at toymania.com: Playmates Toys has shared these images of their upcoming King Kong toys and action figures. The toys should be in stores in Fall 2005. The movie opens in the US on December 14, 2005. !!!SPOILERS!!! [More]

Oscar-winning special effects company Weta Workshop, best known for The Lord of the Rings and King Kong, has added another feather to its cap – a Walt Disney musical. Weta Workshop is to create the costumes for a new production of Beauty and the Beast to tour New Zealand next year. The $1 million-plus show, to open in Wellington in January, is a double coup for Wellington Musical Theatre. Not only did the company convince Richard Taylor and his crew at Weta to design the costumes, but it was the first time Disney had licensed the musical to another company outside the United States. [More]

The 800-pound gorilla on this fall's movie schedule actually stars one. Experts almost unanimously believe Peter Jackson's hugely anticipated remake of "King Kong" will be the most successful movie released between now and the end of the year. Two other guaranteed blockbusters are on the list, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," and the launch of a new literature-based fantasy franchise, "The Chronicles of Narnia." [More]

Shortly before Christmas, Universal Pictures plans to unveil its $150 million remake of "King Kong," the 1933 sci-fi classic featuring an overgrown beast with a soft spot for blondes, a craggy, fog-shrouded island inhabited by dinosaurs and a squadron of biplanes buzzing the Empire State Building. The new version, aimed squarely at the hearts, minds and wallets of the teenage-to-mid-30's set that Hollywood prizes, has blockbuster written all over it. Peter Jackson, the maestro behind the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is directing; Naomi Watts is stepping into Fay Wray's shoes as the imperiled, scantily clad heroine; and the film is rumored to be embroidered with mind-blowing special effects. [More]

Today is Jack Black's Birthday! Jack was born on August 28th, 1969 in Hermosa Beach, California, That makes him 36 years old today! Happy Birthday Jables!

An "Avenue of Stars" – complete with film director Peter Jackson's handprint – is one suggestion from Wellingtonians on how to spend a $1 million bequest to beautify the city. Wellington City Council has received 98 submissions on how to spend the money, funded by the Plimmer Bequest. The fund was last used for the award winning Oriental Bay beach development in 2003. The star-studded avenue, envisaged along the waterfront between Frank Kitts Park and Te Papa, would feature handprints of famous Kiwi personalities similar to the movie stars' walk of fame in Hollywood, the submitter said. [More]

Kong Regular Movielad sends along these scans from Empire Magazine's Kong story. Take a look! [More]

John writes: I've been following Kong is King since I discovered the update featuring Jack Black going nuts about a reference to his height....Hilarious! My Italian is not up to snuff so I don't really know what this is all about, but it's Kong and it's the Leaning Tower of Pisa. [More]

Next week's Games Market Europe set to have Ubisoft's King Kong and Far Cry Instincts on show. Games Market Europe takes place next week (August 31st - September 1st) and will provide members of the UK videogame industry with a chance to mingle and check out some of the games scheduled for release in the coming months. Ubisoft has confirmed that they'll be showing Peter Jackson's King Kong, Prince of Persia 3 and Far Cry Instincts, as well as videos for Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. We'll bring you coverage of the event late next week. [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

Like Photoshopping? Well then this is the PPD for you! PJ introduces us to the rotoscoping artists working on King Kong. These guys and gals are the ones who intricately remove all the 'real world' stuff that is in a shot. They also paint over things that need to disappear to make the movie as realistic as possible. We get to see some amazing blue and green screen footage, lots of running and falling shots of Naomi Watts, and a super close-up of Jack Black's head (no whale for you Jack). [QT6 240x132px 6Mb] [QT4 320x176px 11Mb] [QT6 480x264px 14Mb] [Bit Torrents!]

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]

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

Helen writes: Just letting you know about the new cover of the October issue of Empire magazine - we have an exclusive look at Peter Jackson's King Kong, created specially for us by the clever bods at Weta. The image shows Jackson's take on the climax of the film, with Kong and a tiny little Naomi Watts enjoying a moment on the Empire State Building. We're pretty sure it's not spoilerific - apart from showing that there's a giant ape who climbs the Empire State Building, which you probably knew already. !!!SPOILERS!!! [Empire.co.uk] [Cover Image]

RADIOTHEATRE has just received exclusive permission from the Merian C.Cooper estate to produce the only known authorized stage version of the original KING KONG which will open on NOV. 30 for 8 shows only at the KRAINE THEATER 85 E. 4th St., NYC, NY. Original score by Grammy winner GARY ANDERSON and Sound Effects by Writer/Director, Dan Bianchi, winner of three Best Director Off Broadway awards and currently nominated for a NY Innovative Theater award for Radiotheatre's original version of THE WAR OF THE WORLDS. "RADIOTHEATRE is a new hybrid aural and visual experience to whet your imagination!" Theater Source Tickets for RADIOTHEATRE Presents KING KONG go on sale in September. [radiotheatrenyc.com]

'Folha de Sao Paulo' Talks King Kong & KIKn

Luciana writes: I thought you'd like to know that last month (July 17th), the brazilian newspaper "Folha de Sao Paulo" wrote an article about kongisking.net It basically talks about the site as being supervised by Peter Jackson himself, with daily updates and many videos which will probably been used as features in a future DVD. It also talks about some of the content from the videos (interviews with the cast and crew, the visual effects, making of, etc) and some of the story of PJ about his dream to do the King Kong movie.

You didn't think we forgot you did you? With 17 weeks left to go the model making department is still in full swing recreating skull island at one twelfth scale. Paul Van Ommen introduces us to his gonzo gang of model technicians and gives us some insight on what it takes to scale down trees, plants, dirt, even moss! You'll never look at a garden the same way again! Take a look! [QT6 240x132px 6Mb] [QT4 320x176px 12Mb] [QT6 480x264px 14Mb] [Bit Torrents!]

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]