King Kong
Fictional monster / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about King Kong?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster, or kaiju,[14] resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. Kong has been dubbed the King of the Beasts[15] and over time it would also be bestowed the title of the Eighth Wonder of the World,[16] a widely recognized expression within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelization of the 1933 film King Kong from RKO Pictures, with the film premiering a little over two months later.
King Kong | |
---|---|
King Kong character | |
First appearance | King Kong (1933) |
Created by | Merian C. Cooper |
Portrayed by |
|
Voiced by |
|
Binomial nomenclature |
|
In-universe information | |
Full name | Kong |
Aliases | The Eighth Wonder of the World The Beast |
Species | Giant gorilla-like ape |
Family |
|
Home |
|
A sequel quickly followed that same year with The Son of Kong, featuring Little Kong. Toho produced King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) featuring a giant Kong battling Toho's Godzilla and King Kong Escapes (1967), a film loosely based on Rankin/Bass's The King Kong Show (1966–1969). In 1976, Dino De Laurentiis produced a modern remake of the original film directed by John Guillermin. A sequel, King Kong Lives, followed a decade later featuring a Lady Kong. Another remake of the original, this time set in 1933, was released in 2005 by filmmaker Peter Jackson.
Kong: Skull Island (2017), set in 1973, is part of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment's MonsterVerse, which began with a reboot of Godzilla in 2014. A sequel, Godzilla vs. Kong, once again pitting the characters against one another, was released in 2021. It was then followed by the film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in 2024 which featured more of Kong's kind.
The character has since become an international pop culture icon,[17] having inspired a number of sequels, remakes, spin-offs, imitators, parodies, cartoons, books, comics, video games, theme park rides, and a stage play.[18] King Kong has also crossed over into other franchises such as Planet of the Apes,[19] and encountered characters from other franchises in crossover media, such as the Toho movie monster Godzilla, pulp characters Doc Savage and Tarzan, and the Justice League.[20] His role in the different narratives varies, ranging from an egregious monster to a tragic antihero.