EXCLUSIVE: Michael Keaton and JK Simmons have both exited Legendary Pictures’ Kong: Skull Island. Scheduling conflicts are believed to be the principal reason behind both actors’ ankling. The project, which has Jordan Vogt-Roberts directing from a script written by John Gatins and Max Borenstein, pushed back its production start by a few weeks from the fall to before the end of the year. That, and the fact that it is likely to be a demanding shoot in terms of time, didn’t match up with their other commitments. Tom Hiddleston remains on-board.

Legendary is currently out to cast to replace both actors pronto and does not envisage any delays to getting principal going by the tail end of 2015. Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni produce with Alex Garcia and Mary Parent, and Eric McLeod is exec producing. Universal Pictures will release the King Kong-inspired film in 3D and IMAX 3D on March 10, 2017.

The filmmakers have been promising Kong: Skull Island will fully immerse audiences in the mysterious and dangerous home of the iconic ape as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the treacherous, primordial island. Given the giant box office takings of Jurassic World, Universal will be hoping this reboot can deliver some more monster grosses of its own.

Keaton is repped by ICM and Anonymous Content. He stars in Thomas McCarthy’s Catholic Church child-abuse drama Spotlight and also voiced a role in Illumination Entertainment’s animated Minions. He is filming The Founder for director John Lee Hancock. Simmons is repped by The Gersh Agency. The much-in demand actor has Lorene Scafaria’s The Meddler, Gavin O’Connor’s The Accountant and Kung Fu Panda 3 in the pipelines.

EXCLUSIVE: Brie Larson is in talks to play the female lead in Legendary Pictures’ Kong: Skull Island. She will join Tom Hiddleston, who was set some time ago. Legendary is actively setting the two other male leads after the exit of both Michael Keaton and JK Simmons. One actor they are courting hard for one of those roles is Russell Crowe, but it won’t be clear whether or not that happens until the next script draft comes in.

Keaton and Simmons had scheduling conflicts, my colleague Ali Jaafar reported when he broke news of their exits.

Legendary has Jordan Vogt-Roberts directing a script by John Gatins and Max Borenstein, and they are eyeing a production start of late year or early 2016. The film will be released by Universal Pictures on March 10, 2017, with a Imax 3D a big part of the release plan. Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni produce with Mary Parent, with Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod exec producing. Kong: Skull Island will fully immerse audiences in the mysterious and dangerous home of the iconic ape as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the treacherous, primordial island. Clearly it wasn’t lost on anyone that Peter Jackson’s King Kong had its best moments on Skull Island, depicted as a scary place. Wannasee has been high on this since Legendary revealed the project at San Diego Comic-Con awhile back.

For Larson, this role is a big coup. She co-starred in the Judd Apatow-directed Trainwreck with Amy Schumer and Bill Hader, and she next stars with William H. Macy and Joan Allen in Room, the Lenny Abrahamson-directed adaptation of the Emma Donoghue novel about a mother (Larson) and her son who are trapped in a shed, and the love between them that keeps them going. A24 is releasing the film for awards season and it is expected to surface in the fall festival circuit. Larson just wrapped the Ben Wheatley-directed Free Fire, which is exec produced by Martin Scorsese.

She’s repped by WME and Authentic Literary and Talent Management.

August 18, 2015 3:18pm PT by Borys Kit
'Jurassic World' Writer Heads to 'Kong: Skull Island' (Exclusive)

Derek Connolly is doing a little island hopping. Monster island, that is.

Connolly, who is director Colin Trevorrow’s frequent writing partner, was a co-screenwriter on this summer’s Jurassic World, helping reboot the dinosaurs-run-amok-on-an-island franchise.

Now the scribe has been brought on to work on Kong: Skull Island, Legendary and Universal’s monster movie that is steeped in the lore of King Kong.

The scribe is doing some late minute work as the movie is deep in the casting stages and heading for a late October start in Hawaii. (The pic will also shoot in Iceland and Vietnam.)

Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Corey Hawkins are starring in the project, which is being directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and sees a team of explorers venture into the mysterious, creature-laden isle that is also the home of the king of the apes.

Max Borenstein (Godzilla), John Gatins (Flight) and Dan Gilroy (NIghtcrawler) are among those that previously worked on the script.

Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni are producing with Mary Parent.

The movie is scheduled for a March 10, 2017 release.

In addition to Jurassic, Connolly also wrote Trevorrow’s 2012 Sundance breakout, Safety Not Guaranteed. Other credits include Paramount’s Monster Trucks, directed by Chris Wedge and awaiting release, and has Intelligent Life set up at DreamWorks. The latter, a sc-fi love story, reunites him with Trevorrow.

He is repped by Verve and Ginsburg Daniels.

‘Kong: Skull Island’ Moving From Universal to Warner Bros.
September 10, 2015 | 04:28PM PT
Justin Kroll
Film Reporter @krolljvar

In a move that is setting the stage for yet another film universe to be created, sources tell Variety that Legendary is planning on moving its “King Kong” prequel, “Kong: Skull Island,” from Universal to Warner Bros.

The film currently stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and “Straight Outta Compton” actors Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell. “Skull Island” had been set up at Universal, with which Legendary currently holds its deal. The prequel was announced at Comic-Con.

Sources close to the situation say while this is not a done deal, things are moving forward and that the idea is to have future “Kong” films possibly cross over with “Godzilla” films, to which WB owns the sequel rights.

As of now, the release date for “Kong: Skull Island” is expected to remain Mar. 10, 2017.

While plot details are still vague, the story will be set in the mysterious, dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the island. Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod will serve as exec producers. Max Borenstein, John Gatins and Dan Gilroy penned the script.

Jordan Vogt-Roberts will direct the pic, and Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce with Mary Parent.

With studios now more and more interested in creating “universes” where films can cross over with one another, it makes sense that Legendary would want these two worlds colliding, especially since it had already happened in the 1962 Toho film “King Kong vs. Godzilla.”

Legendary declined to comment on the matter. Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.

September 25, 2015 10:54am PT by Mia Galuppo
John Goodman Cast in 'Kong: Skull Island'
The film is expected to start principal photography in the fall.

John Goodman will be taking a trip to Skull Island.

Goodman is joining the cast of Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Kong: Skull Island. The Legendary Pictures film will be an origins story of the skyscraper-climbing gorilla, with Goodman set to play the government official who leads the expedition.

The Roseanne alum joins Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson in the film, penned by Jurassic World writer Ryan Connolly and Godzilla scribe Max Bornstein.

The film is expected to start principal photography in the fall.

Recently, the project moved from Universal to Warner Bros. for the studios planned monster movie universe.

Legendary and Warner Bros. previously teamed up for 2014’s Godzilla, which earned $529 million worldwide. A sequel to that monster flick is eyeing a 2018 release.

Goodman can be seen in the upcoming Hollywood screenwriter biopic Trumbo. He is repped by Gersh and Frankfurt & Kurnit.

Thomas Mann Joins ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (EXCLUSIVE)
September 25, 2015 | 11:12AM PT
Justin Kroll
Film Reporter @krolljvar

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” star Thomas Mann is in final negotiations to join the cast of Legendary and Warner Bros.’ King Kong prequel “Kong: Skull Island.”

The film currently stars Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman and “Straight Outta Compton” actors Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell. “Skull Island” had been set up at Universal, with which Legendary currently holds its deal, but recently moved to WB, where the studio hopes to have a cross-over with the “Godzilla” franchise it currently holds rights to.

Jordan Vogt-Roberts will direct the pic, and Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce with Mary Parent. Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod will serve as exec producers. Max Borenstein, John Gatins and Dan Gilroy penned the script.

While plot details are still vague, the story will be set in the mysterious, dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the island. Mann’s character is part of that team.

The pic bows March 10, 2017.

Best known for his role as the teen who throws the greatest house party ever in Warner Bros.’ “Project X,” Mann recently showed his range as a dramatic actor in Fox Searchlight’s “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” which earned him strong reviews when it premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

He is repped by Innovative Artists and Industry Entertainment.