From fortune.com: Imagine being a famous director who gets to create elaborate fantasy worlds filled with elves, giant gorillas, and starlets. Now imagine getting a blank check to do so. After Lord of the Rings' 17 Oscars and $3 billion box-office performance, Jackson has more creative control than most directors can even imagine. His remake of King Kong—a project he's been wanting to do since age 13—hits theaters in December, and the trailer already has fans salivating. As if that's not enough: While working on Kong, he had an extreme makeover, losing 70 pounds. He also ditched the oversized specs thanks to laser eye surgery. [2005 Envy List]