12 King Kong Movies That Prove Why He's The King Of All Monsters
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While Godzilla may be the biggest bad in cinema where giant monsters are concerned, he likely wouldn't exist at all were it not for a little film in 1933 called King Kong. The original kaiju kicked off a franchise which isn't nearly as big as Godzilla's, but still has had a huge impact on popular culture for almost a century.
King Kong's films tend to have a lot of heart, often posing the King himself as a sort of tragic antihero. Kong isn't merely a gigantic ape - he has feelings and a personality that separate him from the many monsters that call Skull Island home.
Over nearly 100 years, King Kong has been entertaining and terrorizing moviegoers across many films, and while all of them have building-smashing action, they're not all created equal. Help rank every King Kong movie to find which will climb to the top.
- 124 VOTESPhoto: Universal Studios
Who Made Him Angry?: Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong largely follows the same plot as the 1933 original, so Kong comes into conflict with a film crew arriving on Skull island, as well as the Vastatosaurus rex (a new spin on the the T. Rex from the original). When he ends up in New York city, he's also bothered by the flashing lights and increased number of watchful eyes once he's taken to New York City.
Who's In Danger?: The main focus of the peril is once again Ann Darrow, this time around played by Naomi Watts. Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Carl Denham (Jack Black), and Captain Englehorn (Thomas Kretschmann) are all in danger, too, as is Kong after he's taken to the United States.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Kong's most significant moments in this film mirror those from the original: his fight with the Vastatosaurus rex, plus his final scene involving his climb of the Empire State Building followed by his battle with the airplanes that ultimately bring him down. The finale manages to keep the spirit of the most iconic Kong moment while bringing it to life with stunning modern visual effects.
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- 222 VOTESPhoto: Radio Pictures
Who Made Him Angry?: In Kong's first outing, a film crew that ventures to Skull Island gets on his nerves trying to rescue Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) after she's handed to him as a sacrifice, and the natives push him to violence. Then, once he's in New York City, he's agitated by camera flashes and a bunch of people ogling him.
Who's In Danger?: Initially, it appears as if Ann is in danger in Kong's hands, but in truth, the creature is enamored with her. Still, her kidnapping pushes the rest of the group, including Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) and Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot), to try to rescue her. They face plenty of danger along the way, from the dinosaur-infested Skull Island as well as Kong himself after they bring him back to New York City. Though it seems like the ape may destroy the whole city, ultimately, it is Kong who is threatened and killed by those who fear him the most.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Kong's rampaging during several scenes is iconic, but two stand out: when he fights and kills the Tyrannosaurus rex, and when he swats at the planes charging and firing upon him atop the Empire State Building. That last fight remains one of the most iconic Kong moments from the whole franchise, almost a century later.
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- 321 VOTES
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Photo: Warner Bros. PicturesWho Made Him Angry?: King Kong returns in Kong: Skull Island, a film which ties into the “MonsterVerse” initiated by the 2014 Godzilla film. Set in the early 1970s, this reboot starts at Skull Island once again as Kong is disturbed by US Military forces exploring and mapping his home. He grows especially angry when they start dropping explosives and trying to kill him, but possibly a bigger problem for Kong is the Skullcrawlers - subterranean dinosaur-like reptiles responsible for killing his whole family.
Who's In Danger?: Every human caught up in Kong's war is in danger of being stepped on, eaten, or worse as Kong fights some of the nastiest beasties on Earth. Adding to that, Kong himself is in danger as he fights the beasts intent on making him their dinner, so there's plenty of danger going around. James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston), Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson), Bill Randa (John Goodman), and Mason Weaver (Brie Larson) all do their best to survive the perils of Skull Island.
Quintessential Kong Moment: When Kong is first introduced, he tears through a bunch of helicopters, showing his sheer power from the jump. Even though that's an incredible opening, it's topped by his bloody final battle with a Skullcrawler.
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- 417 VOTESPhoto: Warner Bros.
Who Made Him Angry?: In Godzilla vs. Kong, the two titular monsters face off after their previous outings in the “MonsterVerse.” Kong runs afoul of several giant monsters on Skull Island, though he's confined and monitored by humans. Godzilla then picks a fight with him, attacking when Kong is being transported as part of a scientific mission. The two Titans first fight it out on the sea and then take it to land, tearing apart the city before Mechagodzilla rears his metallic head, endangering almost anything and everything, including Kong.
Who's In Danger?: Both King Kong and Godzilla present danger to each other as they duke it out, but they put their squabbles aside and ultimately work together to take on the existential threat posed by Mechagodzilla, which is controlled by Ren Serizawa (Shun Oguri) and designed to wipe out Titans. Meanwhile, all of humanity is endangered in the crossfire, while many, including Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård), Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), and Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) do their best to minimize the damage from the monsters.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Kong's best moment comes toward the end when he wields an axe made from a Godzilla scale against Mechagodzilla. Godzilla helps out by powering the blade up with his atomic breath, and Kong deals the final blows against the mecha in truly epic fashion.
- 517 VOTESPhoto: Paramount Pictures
Who Made Him Angry?: The 1976 King Kong film shares much in common with the 1933 original, though it takes place in the ‘70s. Additionally, the reason humans come to Kong's island this time around isn't for the entertainment industry, but the oil industry. Kong still ends up captured and brought to New York City, he's pushed to anger and rampages after he's spooked by some reporters, leading him to climb the World Trade Center, where he's attacked and killed by the military.
Who's In Danger?: The cast is filled with excellent actors trying to survive in Kong's orbit. Jessica Lange plays Dwan, the beauty who tames the savage beast. Jeff Bridges plays Jack Prescott, the leader of the expedition, while Fred S. Wilson (Charles Grodin), Captain Ross (John Randolph), and Roy Bagley (René Auberjonois) fill out the group.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Like in the original King Kong and Peter Jackson's 2005 remake, the most quintessential Kong moment comes at thend, when he fights the military as he tries to “save” Dwan from what he believes to be certain death. This version is spiced up by the use of the World Trade Center rather than the Empire State Building - Kong begins by climbing the South Tower, but as he's under attack, he leaps across to the North Tower, adding a new dynamic to a familiar climax.
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- 611 VOTES
The Mighty Kong (1998)
Photo: Warner Bros.Who Made Him Angry?: The Mighty Kong takes the classic story of the 1933 original film and retells it as an animated musical. Like in the first film, Kong is angered by the film crew who works to save Ann Darrow (voiced Jodi Benson) as well as the reporters who spur him to rampage, which puts him up against the military.
Who's In Danger?: Just like in the first film, all of the people in the film crew and the people of New York City are threatened by Kong and his rampaging interests, and they're brought to life by a stellar cast. Dudley Moore lends his voice to Carl Denham as well as King Kong, marking his final film appearance before he died in 2002. The songs are written by the Sherman Brothers (who composed for such beloved hits as Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book), and feature great performances such as from Jodi Benson (well-known for voicing Ariel in The Little Mermaid).
Quintessential Kong Moment: Soon after taking Ann into his embrace, Kong fights off a Tyrannosaurus, Pterodactylus, and a Gigantophis, showing his absolute domination of other beasts, as he always does. Of course, as a retelling of the OG film, this version also has its own take on Kong battling the military's biplanes atop the Empire State Building.
- 711 VOTESPhoto: Radio Pictures
Who Made Him Angry?: King Kong himself isn't in Son of Kong, having perished atop the Empire State Building a month before this film's events kick off. There is, of course, Kong's son, an albino ape about twice the height of a man. When Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) and company find their way back to Skull Island, they find “Little Kong,” who doesn't exactly become angry, but rather helps the humans by fighting various dinosaurs, a cave bear, and more.
Who's In Danger?: Four humans are in constant peril throughout the film: Denham, Hilda Petersen (Helen Mack), Captain Englehorn (Frank Reicher), and Charlie (Victor Wong). Little Kong isn't exactly safe either, and through the machinations of the people, he ultimately sacrifice himself at the end of the film, ensuring that outsiders aren't entirely safe for gigantic apes like King Kong and his boy.
Quintessential Kong Moment: The film sees Little Kong befriend the humans after they save and assist in healing him. After this, his biggest Kong moment isn't taking down the various dinosaurs he fights, but rather his end. When a massive storm strikes and the island begins to sink beneath the waves, and instead of saving himself, Little Kong holds Denham above the water, drowning in the process. This perfectly captures the spirit of Kong, which isn't about selfishness - it's about sacrificing oneself for the benefit of others.
- 812 VOTESPhoto: Toho
Who Made Him Angry?: At the forefront of Kong's irritants in King Kong Escapes is the villainous Dr. Who (Hideo Amamoto). He builds a massive Mechani-Kong to dig for Element-X at the North Pole, but when his plan fails, he sets his sights on capturing the real Kong to finish the job. He ultimately does this, and that plan goes horribly wrong as well, but in the end, Mechani-Kong makes him incredibly angry as he fights him to the bitter end in Tokyo.
Who's In Danger?: After Dr. Who (Hideyo Amamoto) sets his sights on Kong, he finds that he needs Lt. Susan Watson (Linda Jo Miller) to control him, so he kidnaps her. The people of Tokyo are also put in jeopardy when the gigantic ape fights a its counterpart gigantic mecha-ape among the city's buildings.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Like most Kong movies, this one features an epic final battle between real and mecha-Kong, but it's not the only one. Early in the film, Kong fights a sea serpent and Gorosaurus simultaneously on Mondo Island, proving he's not just a gigantic ape who happens to live there - he's the King of beasts.
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- 913 VOTESPhoto: Toho
Who Made Him Angry?: Kong is kidnapped by a Japanese pharmaceutical company intent on using him for a promotion (really), so he's not happy about that. Later, he crosses paths with Godzilla, who has recently reawakened from being trapped in an iceberg, and they battle it out on Mount Fuji.
Who's In Danger?: When King Kong and Godzilla fight one another, anyone nearby is in danger. Of course, both kaiju are mainly fighting each other, and they are both formidable foes, but everyone around them is at great risk, including the men sent to bring Kong back, Osamu Sakurai and Kinsaburo Furue, as well as Sakurai's sister, Fumiko, who is captured by Kong.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Kong's shining moment in King Kong vs. Godzilla comes during his climactic battle with his reptilian counterpart. It's both awe-inspiring and charmingly silly at times. At one point, Kong is felled by Godzilla's atomic breath, only to be revived by a bolt of lighting and (seemingly) come out on top in the end. This is the battle that spawned many similar conflicts in the Godzilla franchise that followed, and while Kong walked a different path, they ultimately came together once more some 50 years later.
- 1010 VOTES
Who Made Him Angry?: Though Kong dies at the end of the 1976 King Kong remake, King Kong Lives picks up as a direct sequel wherein he has been revived and stabilized in a comatose state for a decade under the watchful eye of Dr. Amy Franklin (Linda Hamilton). She successfully creates him an artificial heart and brings him back to his old self with a blood transfusion from another giant female ape, but when Kong escapes with “Lady Kong,” the pair are hunted down by forces led by Army Lt. Col. Archie Nevitt (John Ashton).
Who's In Danger?: Nevitt is in danger (as is the rest of the military) because of his assault on Kong and Lady Kong; meanwhile, Dr. Franklin and her adventurous love interest Hank “Mitch” Mitchell (Brian Kerwin) try their hardest to avert disaster while the armed forces push the Kongs to the brink.
Quintessential Kong Moment: King Kong's greatest moment in the film comes when he sacrifices himself to save Lady Kong and their unborn son. Even as his new heart is weakening, Kong bravely fights off the military while Lady Kong gives birth, and he gets to see his son for a few seconds before he passes. His end is undeniably sad, but it allows his love and his child to safely make it back to the jungle.
- 117 VOTES
Kong: King Of Atlantis (2005)
Photo: BKN InternationalWho Made Him Angry?: When the ancient empire of Atlantis returns to Earth, its evil leader, Queen Reptilla, hopes to trick the new Kong into becoming her empire's new King of Atlantis. This puts Kong in a dangerous spot, as Reptilla works to fool Kong into serving her. On top of this, Kong is also pushed by some rebels who oppose Reptilla. It all comes around in the end, and Kong becomes the hero once more.
Who's In Danger?: Kong: King of Atlantis is a made-for-video tie-in to Kong: The Animated Series, bringing in the show's protagonist, Jason Jenkins, a friend of Kong's who has the ability to fuse with him. The people put into danger (other than Kong) are the entire population of New York City, which Atlantis floods. Queen Reptilla doesn't care how much harm she does with her would-be King, but fortunately, her plan doesn't work out in her favor.
Quintessential Kong Moment: Kong's greatest moment comes when he's facing tough odds against an onslaught of Reptilla's Tyranno-guards. He goes into a rage and turns himself into Mega Kong, dispatching the dinos and defeating Reptilla for good. At the end, the ape stands on the edge of a cliff and bangs his chest, roaring in victory, which is about as Kong as it gets.
- 129 VOTES
Kong: Return to the Jungle (2007)
Photo: BKN InternationalWho Made Him Angry?: Another tie-in to Kong: The Animated Series, this 3D film picks up as Kong finds his adventures in the outside world at an end, Kong enters the valley of Konhi to establish himself, but it's not easy, and he finds himself competing (and fighting) every gigantic beast in the land - and there are many of them.
Who's In Danger?: While there are people in this film who find themselves in danger, like Kong's friend Jason Jenkins, Kong mainly has to look out for himself this time around. He goes up against all sorts of giant beasts as he tries to make a life for himself in the valley.
Quintessential Kong Moment: While this animated film is significantly toned down in violence and peril given its intended audience, it still manages to capture the thrills of Kong proving that he is the King of the valley of Konhi.
