News for Nov. 02, 2005
11/02/05, 6:52 pm EST - Xoanon
New York, NY - Simon & Schuster has signed an agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to publish the official King Kong tie-in books. King Kong is directed by three-time Academy Awardâ winner Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and will be released on December 14th.
Pocket Books is releasing five adult tie-in books, beginning with King Kong: The Island of the Skull -the official prequel novel.
Title list:
King Kong: The Island of the Skull by Matthew Costello
(November 1, 2005; 1-4165-1669-7; $7.99)
Based on an original story by Peter Jackson, this prequel novel tells the electrifying tale of how Carl Denham takes possession of Skull Island's map.
Kong Unbound ed. by Karen Haber
(November 15, 2005; 1-4165-1670-0 $14.00)
A captivating collection of essays on the history and legacy of the most famous ape in Hollywood, and his continuing impact on pop culture and modern filmmakers.
A sumptuously illustrated look at the amazing art behind the fantastic creatures of King Kong and their world.
The Making of King Kong by Jenny Wake
(December 13, 2005; 1-4165-0518-0 ; $19.95)
From concept to final cut - a behind-the-scenes look at how the motion picture event of 2005 was made.
Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World by Christopher Golden
(December 1, 2005; 1-4165-0391-9; $7.99)
Christopher Golden's novelization of what will be one of the most talked-about films of 2005.
About King Kong
Triple Academy Award® winner Peter Jackson (the Lord of the Rings trilogy) directs the dramatic adventure King Kong, bringing his sweeping cinematic vision to the iconic story of the gigantic ape captured in the wild and brought to civilization where he meets his tragic fate. Jackson assumes directing, producing and co-screenwriting duties and surrounds himself with a list of superlative filmmaking and acting talents.
Jackson re-teams with longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, co-writing the screenplay with three-time Oscar®-winning partner Walsh and their The Lord of the Rings co-writer, Academy Award® winner Boyens. Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham, Fran Walsh and Jackson produce the film under their WingNut Films banner.
Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts (21 Grams) portrays Ann Darrow, an actress from the world of vaudeville who finds herself out of a job in Depression-era New York. Her luck changes when she meets Carl Denham, played by Jack Black (School of Rock). Denham is an entrepreneur, a raconteur, an adventurer and a filmmaker who is struggling to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Bold, ebullient and charismatic, Denham has a natural sense of showmanship and an appetite for greatness, which ultimately leads to catastrophe. Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist) steps into the role of Jack Driscoll, a New York playwright, who becomes an unlikely hero in a romantic adventure story which will test his physical courage and his heart.
Andy Serkis (who performed the role of the CGI character Gollum in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) provided both on-set performance reference and motion capture performance for the title character of King Kong. Serkis also appears onscreen playing Lumpy the cook, in service aboard the tramp steamer Venture, bound for Skull Island, under the command of Captain Englehorn, played by Thomas Kretschmann (U-571). Colin Hanks (Orange County) portrays a production assistant to filmmaker Carl Denham and Kyle Chandler (television's Early Edition) takes on the role of Bruce Baxter, a 1930's movie star cast opposite Ann Darrow in the film Denham is shooting.
Visual effects are again accomplished by New Zealand-based companies Weta Digital, under the direction of Oscar® winner Joe Letteri and Weta Workshop, under the direction of Oscar® winner Richard Taylor. Visual effects and miniatures will supplement practical locations in creating the primordial jungles of Skull Island and the bustling metropolis of '30s-period Manhattan.
About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.