Michael Keaton - the likely winner of the Oscar for Best Actor - appears to be continuing his resurgence of sorts by signing on for one of the more anticipated movies of the coming years. Keaton will appear alongside Tom Hiddleston in King Kong: Skull Island, set for release on March 10, 2017.

Michael KeatonMichael Keaton is the favorite to win Best Actor at the Oscars

Executives at Legendary Pictures have been pretty clever developing this one - a story centered on King Kong's origins. As mentioned, Keaton is likely to be "Oscar-winning Keaton" come February, while another of the film's co-stars, J.K Simmons, is almost certain to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash.

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The official press bumf for Skull Island reads: "Kong: Skull Island will fully immerse audiences in the mysterious and dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers ventures deep inside the treacherous, primordial island. Legendary's story honors the foundations of existing King Kong lore, but places it in an entirely new, distinct timeline." 

Jordan Vogt-Roberts (The King of Summer) is set to direct the story after Joe Cornish apparently passed on the project. Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni - producers on the Godzilla - are also on-board.

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The movie marks the first attempt to revisit the classic King Kong character since Peter Jackson's critically acclaimed 2005 movie. Starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody, the movie was praised for its gipping action and technological advancements.

"It clocks in at over three hours, but Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic is gripping nonetheless," said Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader. 

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