Deadline has reported that Disney Branded Television is in very early development on a King Kong series for Disney+. The potential series originates from James Wan’s Atomic Monster and is set to be penned by Stephany Folsom (Paper Girls).
The King Kong series would be a “serialized action/adventure drama that brings the classic monster story into the modern age, with a return to Skull Island and the dawn of a new Kong.” It will explore the mythology of Kong’s origin and the other supernatural mysteries of the island. The estate of original King Kong creator Merian C. Cooper has also teamed up with artist Joe DeVito to develop new novelizations which will be used as source material for the series alongside the original story.
In addition to writing the King Kong series, Stephany Folsom would executive produce with James Wan, Michael Clear, and Rob Hackett for Atomic Monster, as well as Dannie Festa for World Builder Entertainment. Deadline also mentions that James Wan could potentially direct the series.
King Kong isn’t the only giant monster series in the works, as Apple is also developing Godzilla and the Titans. Taking place in the MonsterVerse franchise, the Apple series will take place following the “thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking new reality that monsters are real.” The MonsterVerse series “will explore one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.” The series will feature Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett, Mari Yamamoto, and Elisa Lasowski. Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell have also signed on to star in the series. A new Monsterverse movie is in development with Adam Wingard returning to direct, and it was announced earlier this year that Dan Stevens would be starring in the movie. There’s also an anime Skull Island series in development for Netflix.