Here’s Every Single ‘King Kong’ Movie Ever Made, In Order of Release Date

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King Kong, the enormous gorilla-like creature, has been a popular character in movies, video games, comics, and more for over a century. You can find him in all sorts of media!

I’ve always been amazed by how Kong gets around! He’s even teamed up with – or battled – Godzilla a few times, which is wild. But it doesn’t stop there – he’s met characters like Doc Savage, Tarzan, and even hung out with the Justice League! There was even a story where he showed up in the Planet of the Apes universe. No matter who he’s with, though, one thing is always certain: Kong is the strongest, and he truly earns his title as the King of the Beasts.

King Kong first appeared in the novel based on the 1933 RKO Pictures film. Interestingly, the book was released two months before the movie, meaning readers discovered the story first. Since then, there have been ten Kong films, and an eleventh, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, is scheduled for release in 2027.

Here is every King Kong movie so far, in the order of their release.

‘King Kong’

7 April 1933

Ever since the 1920s, director Merian C. Cooper dreamed of making a film about a massive gorilla. When RKO Pictures found itself in financial trouble, they decided to take a risk on his idea. The result was King Kong, a movie where filmmaker Carl Denham (played by Robert Armstrong) journeys to the remote Skull Island with his crew to film a movie. There, they encounter a native tribe who worship a colossal ape named Kong. Trouble begins when the crew captures Kong and brings him to New York City.

Kong Begins!

This thrilling adventure film, made before Hollywood’s strict production code, is a standout. Directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, who previously filmed the documentary Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness, bring a confident hand to the exciting story. With fantastic performances from classic stars like Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot, this movie is a must-see for any film lover who enjoys a good monster adventure.

‘Son of Kong’

22 December 1933

After the hit movie King Kong, a sequel called Son of Kong was made quickly. In this film, director Carl Denham (played by Robert Armstrong) is facing financial ruin after Kong’s rampage in New York City. To solve his problems, he goes back to Skull Island and finds a smaller, white gorilla—though still much larger than a typical gorilla. The question is, can Carl overcome his bad luck?

Time for the Little One To Shine

Son of Kong is a really funny movie. Don’t miss the scene where Little Kong tries to impress Denham by wrestling a cave bear! The humor comes from the screenwriter, Ruth Rose, deliberately making a lighthearted film, believing a sequel could never live up to the original – and she was probably right. While not as popular as the first movie, Son of Kong is still enjoyable. It also boasts stunning visuals and slightly better character development. Denham’s attempt to make amends feels particularly human and easy to connect with.

‘King Kong vs. Godzilla’

11 August 1962

For nearly thirty years, Hollywood hadn’t featured King Kong. Then, Toho Studios in Japan delivered a treat for fans with King Kong vs. Godzilla. The story begins with a Japanese company capturing Kong from Faro Island, hoping to make money off of him. However, their plans are interrupted when Godzilla is accidentally awakened by an American submarine and the two titans inevitably battle.

Clash of the Titans

The Godzilla in King Kong vs. Godzilla is particularly unsettling as a villain, and Kong is a formidable opponent as well. While the film’s ending feels a bit forced and reflects the moral standards of the time, it’s still a unique and exciting monster battle for dominance. Notably, this was the first time both Kong and Godzilla appeared in color and widescreen. Interestingly, the original concept involved Kong fighting a giant Frankenstein’s monster, but thankfully, the idea evolved into the iconic Godzilla showdown we know today.

‘King Kong Escapes’

22 July 1967

Okay, so next up I watched King Kong Escapes. It’s a really fun one because it’s a joint effort between the Japanese studio Toho and the American company Rankin/Bass. The story kicks off with this crazy scientist, Dr. Who – seriously, that’s his name! – building a robot version of King Kong, Mechani-Kong, to dig up some radioactive stuff. When the robot goes haywire, Dr. Who decides to kidnap the real Kong from Mondo Island to get the job done! Thankfully, Commander Carl Nelson isn’t having any of it and steps in to stop him.

Creature Exploitation

This wonderfully strange and classic film centers around a seemingly sweet but actually disturbed scientist. While it’s based on the anime The King Kong Show, director Ishirō Honda adds plenty of original elements. The story is full of surprising and unsettling turns, and the action is engaging enough to keep everyone hooked. The movie also clearly draws inspiration from James Bond films. The scientist’s behavior echoes that of classic Bond villains like Dr. No and Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and his accomplice, Madame Piranha – played by Mie Hama, who also appeared in You Only Live Twice – is a secret agent with a similar role.

‘King Kong’

17 December 1976

The latest remake of King Kong came about when producer Dino De Laurentiis noticed a Kong poster in his daughter’s room. This version features Fred Wilson (Charles Grodin), an oil executive, who leads an expedition to a remote island hoping to find oil. Instead, they discover a massive ape. After bringing the ape to New York for a grand public display, it breaks free and wreaks havoc on the city.

A Fresh Start

Despite leaning more towards a story about corporate ambition than pure monster action, the film King Kong is still captivating. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the original, but it’s highly unlikely to bore you! The script, penned by Lorenzo Semple Jr. – known for his work on Batman and Three Days at the Condor – expertly hits all the right story beats, and the cinematography, by Richard H. Kline, feels ambitious and polished. The film received a Special Achievement Oscar for its Visual Effects, and was also nominated for Best Sound and Best Cinematography.

‘King Kong Lives’

19 December 1986

I remember being blown away by the original King Kong, so I was really excited when King Kong Lives came out. It’s a strange story – ten years after falling from the World Trade Center, Kong is still alive, but in a coma and being cared for by scientists. Then they find another giant ape, a female named Lady Kong, and they think her blood might be able to save him! It actually works, and both Kongs end up escaping, which leads to this crazy chase led by Colonel Nevitt. It’s a wild ride!

Watchable, But Forgettable

This new take on the classic story is an exciting action movie and a surprisingly emotional love story, culminating in a deeply moving finale. While it doesn’t quite measure up visually to earlier films – it even won a Razzie for its special effects – it marked a turning point. This was the last Kong movie to rely on traditional suits and practical effects; subsequent films would switch to computer-generated imagery.

‘King Kong’

5 December 2005

After the failure of King Kong Lives, a new remake of the classic King Kong story seemed like the obvious next step. This version, set in the 1930s during the Great Depression, follows a film crew that journeys to the remote Skull Island to make a movie. While there, they discover dangerous prehistoric creatures and, of course, the enormous ape, Kong, who they eventually capture and bring to New York City.

A New Dawn

Peter Jackson’s version of King Kong doesn’t hold back, showing the harsh realities and unexpected challenges the film crew faced while shooting in a dangerous location. The movie includes surprising developments, like a romance between two of the filmmakers. Those familiar with the original story will appreciate the ending, which features the famous line: “It wasn’t the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast.” When it came out, King Kong was the costliest movie ever made, with a budget of $207 million.

‘Kong: Skull Island’

10 March 2017

As a film fan, I really noticed how shared universes took off in the 2010s, and that’s how we got the Monsterverse! It all started with the Godzilla reboot in 2014, and then came Kong: Skull Island. The story follows this secret government group, Monarch, who send a team to this really remote Pacific island not long after the Vietnam War. The expedition is led by James Conrad, a former British SAS operative played by Tom Hiddleston, along with a war photographer, Mason Weaver (Brie Larson), and a tough helicopter squadron leader, Lt. Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson). What they find is incredible – King Kong, who actually ends up helping them fight these terrifying, giant underground creatures called Skullcrawlers. It’s a wild ride!

Enter the Stars

Nominated for an Academy Award for its visual effects, Skull Island offers a new and exciting take on classic monster mythology. The film centers around political interference and contrasts human resilience with the powerful, instinctual world of giant creatures, following a team desperately trying to survive and return home. Screenwriter Max Borenstein has said Apocalypse Now influenced the story, and director Jordan Vogt-Roberts clearly drew inspiration from that film, particularly in the movie’s striking visuals. The performances from the lead actors – Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and Samuel L. Jackson – are also particularly strong.

‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

31 March 2021

As usual, Godzilla is a major threat in Godzilla vs. Kong. To try and stop him, the organization Monarch moves Kong to the Hollow Earth – a hidden world filled with giant monsters called Titans – in search of a powerful energy source. Kong and Godzilla initially clash, but they eventually team up, especially when a dangerous robotic monster called Mechagodzilla is created by Apex Cybernetics. Mechagodzilla is meant to protect humans, but it quickly becomes a threat itself.

Time for a Tag Team

Godzilla vs. Kong delivers everything fans expect from a blockbuster Monsterverse movie: a compelling story, fantastic music, vibrant visuals, creative action, and a high-energy pace. It was a huge success both in theaters, breaking pandemic box office records, and on HBO Max, where it became the platform’s most popular premiere. The filmmakers deserve praise for creating a fresh take instead of simply revisiting the classic King Kong vs. Godzilla story.

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’

25 March 2024

Because Godzilla vs. Kong did so well, the studio decided to make another team-up movie instead of separate films for each monster. This led to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where Kong faces even more powerful creatures deep within the Hollow Earth. He must team up with Godzilla once again to prevent the ruthless Skar King and the terrifying Shimo – a monster who breathes ice – from rising to the surface and endangering humanity.

Could Have Been Better

While Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire boasts stunning visuals and impressive battles, its plot feels weak. Director Adam Wingard seems to admire Godzilla and Kong too much to create real conflict between them. The film could have been much more exciting if the two monsters clashed over differing strategies, even if it meant causing widespread destruction. Ultimately, this movie didn’t make as big an impact as Godzilla: Minus One, which came out four months prior and received Oscar nominations.

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2025-10-26 01:28