'Kong: Skull Island' Loses Michael Keaton, JK Simmons
Legendary Pictures' upcoming film "Kong: Skull Island" has lost two of its lead cast members, Michael Keaton and Oscar-winning actor JK Simmons. According to reports, scheduling issues were speculated to be the main reason behind the two actors backing out of the project.
"Kong: Skull Island" is due in theaters on March 10, 2017, after it was pushed back from its original release date of November 2016. Because of these recent developments, the film's production is said to have been pushed back to before the end of the year, as Legendary starts another search for cast replacements.
"Thor" actor Tom Hiddleston is still part of the cast. He was the first actor to be cast for one of the lead roles, followed by JK Simmons and Michael Keaton in late 2014 and early 2015.
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According to Cinema Blend, JK Simmons is currently working on an action-thriller called "The Lake," a project by Steven Quale of "Into the Storm." Michael Keaton is also reported to be finishing up a biopic about the founder of McDonald's with director John Lee Hancock of "The Blind Side." Both actors also have other projects lined up, after both of them recently showcased stellar performances in their previous movies.
The movie is being directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, with a script from John Gatins and Max Borenstein. When Legendary announced it last year during the Comic-Con, they described it as a prequel movie about explorers led by Tom Hiddleston's character as they "wade into the treacherous jungle" said to be the isolated home of King Kong.
Simmons also revealed early on that the movie is set in Detroit in the year 1971. Other King Kong films and animated series have mentioned the island but have not really dwelled on it or developed it as part of the bigger King Kong story.
