1933’s King Kong, directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, is known for its groundbreaking special effects—including stop-motion animation, matte painting, rear projection and miniatures—all of which were accomplished decades before the age of CGI. The film’s blockbuster success led to the quickie sequel Son of Kong (released the same year!), followed by a long line of remakes, offshoots, and copies. In the 1960s, RKO licensed the character to Japanese studio Toho for King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes. In 1976, Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis produced a remake set in the (then) present day. In 2005, Universal Pictures released another remake, directed by Peter Jackson. Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. released the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island, adding Kong to the MonsterVerse—and leading toward his upcoming 2020 rematch with Godzilla.

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