King Kong is a fictional character that was created by the American filmmaker Merian C. Cooper in 1933. The character first appeared in the classic film “King Kong,” which was produced by RKO Pictures and directed by Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack. Since then, the character has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and other media, and has become a beloved icon of popular culture.
In terms of ownership, King Kong is currently owned by the American film and television company Legendary Entertainment, which acquired the rights to the character in 2018. Legendary Entertainment is a subsidiary of the Chinese multinational conglomerate Wanda Group, which also owns the American cinema chain AMC Theatres.
Prior to Legendary Entertainment’s acquisition of the rights to King Kong, the character was owned by a number of different companies over the years. RKO Pictures, which produced the original “King Kong” film, owned the character for several years after its release, but eventually sold the rights to Japanese film company Toho in the 1960s. Toho went on to produce its own King Kong films, including “King Kong vs. Godzilla” in 1962 and “King Kong Escapes” in 1967.
In the 1970s, the rights to King Kong were acquired by the American producer Dino De Laurentiis, who produced a big-budget remake of the original film in 1976. De Laurentiis also produced a sequel, “King Kong Lives,” in 1986. After De Laurentiis’ death in 2010, the rights to King Kong were sold to Universal Pictures, which planned to produce a new series of films featuring the character.
However, in 2014, Legendary Entertainment announced that it had acquired the rights to King Kong, and planned to produce a new film featuring the character that would serve as a prequel to the original “King Kong” story. That film, “Kong: Skull Island,” was released in 2017, and was followed by “Godzilla vs. Kong” in 2021, which featured King Kong facing off against another iconic movie monster, Godzilla.
In addition to the films, King Kong has also appeared in numerous other media over the years, including books, comic books, video games, and theme park attractions. The character’s enduring popularity has made him one of the most recognizable and beloved icons of popular culture, and he continues to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers, artists, and storytellers around the world.