Adrien Brody (The Pianist) is in talks with Universal Pictures to join the cast of Peter Jackson's King Kong, says Variety.

The Oscar winner has been offered the role of Jack Driscoll, a former World War I fighter pilot who is the love interest for archaeologist Ann Darrow, to be played by Naomi Watts.

On Monday, the studio announced that Jack Black will play showman Carl Denham who brings the giant gorilla to New York City from Skull Island.

Filling the Driscoll role is the last major casting to be done for the film, adds the trade. In the 1933 original, Driscoll spends much of the film trying to rescue Ann Darrow from Kong after the ape takes a liking to the beauty.
 

 

Envy star Jack Black has been in cast alongside Naomi Watts in Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong. Black will play Carl Denham, an adventurer filmmaker who is trying to make a name for himself in 1930s New York. Robert Armstrong played the role in the 1933 original.

Watts is playing Ann Darrow, an American actress who makes a living performing in Broadway song and dance shows. The project, which will shoot in Jackson's native New Zealand, is set up at Universal Pictures.

"I've been wanting to work with Jack Black ever since I saw him in High Fidelity," said Jackson, who is also writing the remake along with his "Lord of the Rings" co-screenwriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. "He's a smart and versatile actor blessed with an abundance of energy and charm and I'm absolutely thrilled that he is joining us on 'Kong."'
 

 

One News was present at Wellington's celebration for the success of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at the Oscars, and the subject of King Kong came up as well..

One News understands Jackson has bought a boat which will be transformed to carry King Kong, but Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop wouldn't elaborate.

"It's mean to be a secret. It's just a special opportunity - a beautiful American film, a wonderful story and we're getting to bring it to life back here in Wellington."

You can view a clip of the celebration, and the possible boat that's about to be used, by going here!
 

 

"The Lord of the Rings" star Elijah Wood tells Sci Fi Wire that he talked with the trilogy's co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens after last week's Oscars about returning to New Zealand to take a small part in director Peter Jackson's upcoming King Kong remake.

"I said, 'I'm coming down in September, when you guys are shooting,'" Wood said. "And they were like, 'Well, we got to get you in there somehow.' So hopefully." What kind of role is he interested in? "I just said I wanted to come down and visit and hopefully be allowed to be stomped on by a foot. So hopefully I'll have something like that."

Meanwhile, TheOneRing.net has up an image of a large ship currently docked in Wellington which is rumored to be used in a "spectacular explosion" for King Kong.