King Kong (Universal)

King Kong is a giant ape monster who appeared in the 2005 Universal Pictures film King Kong. Peter Jackson's film marked the second live-action remake of the 1933 classic, and unlike the 1976 remake retained the 1933 setting and many of the same characters from the original. The last of a species of huge primates called Megaprimatus kong which inhabited the isolated Skull Island, Kong was the object of worship by the derelict human tribe still inhabiting the ruins of a once-great civilization on the island. Kong lived a solitary and lonely existence on the island, faced with a multitude of other colossal prehistoric beasts which were far more violent than him. When a film crew arrived on Skull Island in 1933 aboard the tramp steamer the Venture, the natives captured the crew's leading lady Ann Darrow and offered her as a sacrifice to Kong. Kong accepted the offering and carried Ann off with him into the jungle, with screenwriter Jack Driscoll and the rest of the crew in pursuit. Initially frightened of the huge ape, Ann took an opportunity to escape only to be menaced by a Foetodon and then a family of Vastatosaurus rex. Kong came to Ann's rescue, fighting a grueling battle against the three V-Rexes all while trying to keep Ann away from their maws. Kong succeeded in killing all three, and Ann finally came to sympathize with Kong and allowed him to take her to his mountain lair. There he was attacked by a flock of Terapusmordax, giving Jack the opportunity to rescue and escape with Ann back to the native village. Director Carl Denham had no intention of leaving empty-handed and allowed Kong to breach the village, after which he was subdued by smoke bombs. Denham brought Kong back to New York City as the centerpiece for a broadway show, but the ape broke free of his chrome steel restraints in a fiery rage, then tore his way through Manhattan before Ann came to him in Central Park and calmed him down. When the Army arrived to kill him, Kong took Ann to the top of the Empire State Building where he was confronted by several biplanes. Before making his final stand, Kong set Ann down and fought the planes with all of his might. The machine gun fire was too much for Kong, who succumbed to his wounds and plummeted off the skyscraper to his death, much to Ann's sorrow.