Dr. Jack Driscoll - Princeton professor of zoology
Ann Darrow - Shipwreck survivor/aspiring actress
Carl Denham - Video documentarian
Fred Wilson - Petrox Oil executive
Ross Englehorn - Venture captain
Randall Juttison - Venture first mate
Herb Coombs - Cameraman/assistant to Carl Denham
Roy Bagley - Assistant to Fred Wilson
Joe - Venture crewman
Ordesky - Venture crewman
Hallet - Venture crewman
Larry - Venture crewman
Tom - Venture crewman
Timmons - Venture crewman
Frank - Venture crewman
Manny - Venture crewman
Dr. Tyler - Venture doctor
Gerald Cohagen - Mayor of New York City
Commander Turner - National Guard commander
Lt. Orson - Turner's second in command
King Kong - Giant ape

It's 1976, and the mid-70's oil crisis is in full swing. The oil companies are getting desperate. So desperate, in fact, that one of them, Petrox, is mounting an expedition to the recently discovered Skull Island, in search of rumored oil wells. Setting sail from Surabaya, Indonesia, aboard the Venture, the expedition is being led by Petrox executive Fred Wilson. Also along for the ride is youthful ecologist Dr. Jack Driscoll, who hits it off with Wilson right from the start. In short order the rest of the characters in the expedition are introduced: surly Carl Denham and his cameraman, Herb Coombs, along to document the expedition, the captain of the Venture, Ross Englehorn, and its first mate, Juttison, as well as Wilson's assistant, Roy Bagley, the ship's doctor, Dr. Tyler, and the numerous sailors. There's tension from the start. Captain Englehorn complains that if they sail now they'll have to pass through a dangerous storm, and advises Wilson that they should stay in Surabaya until it blows over. Wilson sorrowfully informs him that the Petrox bigwigs demand the expedition sail right away, regardless of the weather.

The storm hits as predicted. During this time, the bridge reports that they've gotten a distress call from another ship. But by the time Wilson and Captain Englehorn get up to the bridge, the signal has faded, and before they could get a fix on the vessel. Captain Englehorn instructs the radio operator to keep at it in case the call comes again.

The next day, after the storm has cleared, Jack meets in the Venture's onboard conference room with Wilson, Bagley, and Denham to discuss the island. First off, Wilson explains that they got the location of the island through a map provided by a museum, to which Petrox donates heavily. The map was made by the captain of a fishing vessel in 1904, based on the description provided by a dying native found adrift in the ocean. It details that there is only possible landing point on a narrow beach. All else in sheer rocky cliffs. The map also shows such landmarks as "Skull Mountain" and "Devil's Chasm," names that make Denham uneasy. He asks how the island could remain undiscovered for so long, whereupon Wilson explains that the island is surrounded by a perpetual bank of fog, hiding it from view. Jack chimes in and says that the dying native also described bubbling black pools, and he thinks that these pools must be crude oil, hence Petrox's interest in the island, and adds that the natives supposedly worship a god called Kong, an enormous gorilla.

The meeting over, the men go out on deck, where Jack suddenly spots something out in the ocean. Using his binoculars, Captain Englehorn sees that it's a lifeboat. They bring the Venture alongside the lone boat and discover that its only occupant is a beautiful woman. They take her aboard and put her in a cabin, where Dr. Tyler examines her and proclaims that she is just dehydrated. She comes to, and Wilson, Jack, and Captain Englehorn sit down and talk with her. They learn that her name is Ann Darrow, and that she was on a private yacht when the ship sank in the previous night's storm. She also says that, as far as she knows, she was the only one who got to a lifeboat on time. Unable to turn back to Surabaya, Wilson tells her that she's welcome to stay aboard the Venture for the duration of the expedition.

A short time later, the ship reaches the misty island, which is indeed nearly invisible because of the fog. The Venture anchors offshore, and most of the crew goes ashore in three boats, with Jack, Wilson, and Captain Englehorn in the first, and Denham, Herb, and Juttison in the second, Curious about the island, Ann talks Joe and the sailors into letting her tag along in the third boat. Once they're ashore on the narrow, sandy beach, Wilson and Jack are initially angry that Ann came along, but decide to let her stay - as long as she keeps close to Jack, of course.

They begin to explore the island, leaving some sailors to guard the boat, and head inland a ways. It isn't long before they stumble onto an enormous, stone wall, built ages ago. It seems to be at least 100 feet tall. Denham wonders what the wall is for. Jack admits that he isn't sure, but Wilson suggests there's a hostile tribe or something of that nature on the other side that the natives don't want to get into their village. Jack agrees, while Denham berates Wilson for stating the obvious. Suddenly, they hear the sound of drumbeats coming from nearby. The party of twenty creep forwards, and find themselves on a small outcropping, looking down at the native village. The natives are in the middle of a huge ceremony os some sort, dancing wildly, seemingly oblivious to the strangers watching them. A young girl is seemingly being prepared for sacrifice as the high priest, dressed in an ape mask, recites some ceremonial banter, as the dancing natives chant, "Kong! Kong! Kong!"

Finally, though, one native happens to glance up and see the expedition. He quickly alerts the others and the ceremony comes to a screeching halt. Accompanied by the ape masked priest and several warriors, the native chief quickly comes over and addresses the intruders in his native tongue angrily. Wilson and the others want to know what they're saying, and Jack can only understand the tone in the natives' voices. They're angry because the Petrox expedition wasn't supposed to witness this holy ceremony and must leave at once. Denham, all fired up from the exciting dance, wants to stay and get footage, but Wilson is in charge and says they should oblige the natives and leave for now. As the group prepares to leave, the chief suddenly spots Ann. He alerts the priest, who attempts to buy her from the expedition. Naturally, Jack and Wilson flatly refuse, which angers the natives and makes them hostile. Firing their guns into the air to scare the natives, the party beats a hasty retreat back to the boats and then back to the Venture.

Once back on board, Wilson cheerily mentions that he saw what looked like an oil slick over a pond in the native's village, and that they've found "the big one" no doubt. Denham meanwhile considers sneaking back out to the island to get more footage of the natives, but Jack overhears him and puts a stop to that nonsense. Wilson meanwhile talks with Jack and Captain Englehorn, and says that the following day they'll return to the island and make peace with the natives, so that they can confirm the presence of oil and begin drilling.

But that night, it would seem the natives aren't taking no for an answer. They paddle out to the Venture in canoes and slip aboard. They find Ann is currently engaged in conversation with Dr. Tyler when this occurs. They promptly abduct her, and injure Tyler when he attempts to stop them. They escape back to the island with her. The ruckus brings the others running, and Dr. Tyler informs them of the kidnapping. Jack and Wilson quickly mount a rescue operation, Captain Englehorn ordering the crew to break out the rifles.

On the island, the natives are engaged in their big ceremonial dance again, chanting, "Kong! Kong! Kong!", with poor Ann in the middle of it all. When the dance is concluded, the priest signals for two attendants, who grab Ann and drag her toward the huge wall. More attendants pull back the giant locks and open the huge doors, as Ann is dragged through and taken to a platform atop which sit two skull adorned pillars. Ann is tied between the pillars, and her captors hastily return to the other side of the wall and close and lock the doors. Meanwhile, the chief and the priest and their attendants climb up to the top of the wall to observe things. The chief yells, "Kong!" as his attendants bang on gongs. After a few moments of this, everyone falls silent.

Suddenly, something huge can be heard crashing through the jungle. Ann tries to prepare herself for whatever will emerge into view, as suddenly the trees are ripped apart. King Kong, an enormous black furred gorilla standing some 50 feet tall, emerges from the jungle. Ann initially reacts with horror, letting loose an ear piercing scream. Kong looks curiously at his new "bride," who manages to work herself free and bolts. She attempts to make a break for the wall, a lot of good that would do, but Kong grabs her. Handling her with gentle care, he then turns and heads back into the jungle as the natives cheer.

At the same time, Jack, Wilson, and the others come ashore, armed with rifles and bombs. Even though he was told to stay aboard the Venture, Denham takes a boat with Herb anyway and they follow with their video equipment. Upon reaching the village, the crew frighten the natives away by firing into the air with their guns again. They open the gate to find the empty pillars. Gradually piecing together what has happened, Jack concludes that Kong really does exist. Although Wilson is skeptical, he does believe someone or something did indeed take Ann. Jack takes Juttison and twenty of the sailors and sets off into the jungle to get Ann back. Wilson stays behind with Captain Englehorn and the rest of the crew to watch the wall and keep the gate open. While they aren't looking, Denham and Herb slip past and follow Jack and the others.

The rescue party keeps in touch with the camp in the village via a radio being hauled around by Larry, and as day breaks in the gloomy, foggy jungle, the group stops to examine Kong's footprints. It's at this point that Denham and his lackey catch up to the party. Angered, Jack orders them to go back, but before the argument can go any further, the men are all shocked when a living, breathing dinosaur ambles into view. A stegosaurus, specifically. Disliking the humans invading its territory, the plated dinosaur charges them. Overcoming their awe and shock, the men open fire, and Juttison tosses one of the bombs, finishing the job. The stegosaurus thunders dead to the ground. With this new development, Denham says there's no way he's going back. Jack agrees to let him and Herb tag along, but adds he's not responsible for them. As the group passes the dead dinosaur, Denham enthuses "If only I could bring back one of these alive!"

As they hike, Juttison asks Jack how it can be that dinosaurs are still alive. The ecologist explains that they've obviously found a "lost world," a place isolated from civilization for centuries where prehistoric life still thrives. Following Kong's trail, they come to a mist shrouded lake which they need to cross. They hastily construct a pair of makeshift rafts and begin to sail across, Jack and Juttison on the first one and Denham and Herb on the second. Halfway across, however, the second raft is attacked by an elasmosaurus, which snatches up and eats Tom, then proceeds to flip the raft, spilling the men into the water. It makes a meal out of most of the sailors, as well as Herb, who is eaten, camera and all.

The first raft gets to the shore just fine, and the few survivors from the second raft join them, Denham included. As they regroup, Denham suggests they turn back and forget about Ann since she's probably dead by now, anyway, and several of the sailors agree with him. Jack, however, isn't going to give up yet, and says he'll go alone if he has to. Juttison, however, sides with Jack and manages to convince the sailors to keep going and do as he says - otherwise, it's mutiny. Denham ends up continuing to tag along in lieu of going back all by himself.

Meanwhile, Kong has problems of his own. He stumbles across a herd of horned dinosaurs, namely triceratopes and styracosaurs, who charge him. Setting Ann down, he fends the brutes off by tossing rocks at them. This successfully deters the dinosaurs, and Kong carries Ann over Devil's Chasm, a wide, deep canyon that is bridged by a huge fallen log.

The search party runs afoul of the dinosaur herd, spooking the still-irate animals and causing a stampede. Several sailors are trampled by the dinosaurs, and Hallet, nursing a sprained ankle already, ends up impaled on a styracosaurus' nose horn. Jack, Denham, Juttison and the remaining men are chased by the stampede but lose them racing through the jungle and finally a narrow passageway through the pinnacles. Still running and now devoid of their weapons, they come upon Devil's Chasm and a lone styracosaurus appears and necessitates the need to scramble across the log bridge. Kong, hearing them coming, sticks Ann in the branches of a tall, dead tree and doubles back to the chasm and bellows threateningly at the intruders into his territory. Jack, having crossed the log before the others and thus already on Kong's side, jumps to safety onto a small ledge a few feet below.

The rest of the men, however, find themselves trapped on the log between Kong and the styracosaurus. Seizing his end of the log, Kong lifts it up and begins to shake and twist it back and forth, causing many of the sailors (including Juttison) to lose their grips and fall down into the chasm. At the bottom, they are attacked and eaten by a swarm of oversized vermin, including giant spiders, scorpions, centipedes, crabs and lizards, as well as other, indescribable insectoid monsters. Ordesky manages to manages to jump off and grab ahold of some vines on the side of the chasm opposite Kong, and when Denham and Joe refuse to be shaken free Kong hurls the entire log down into the abyss. Denham and Joe ride it all the way down to the bottom.

Denham and Joe run for the chasm wall, but Joe falls victim to an enormous scorpion which crushes him in its claws and stings him. Denham makes it however, and begins to climb up on a handy vine. Above, Kong notices Jack cowering on the ledge beneath him and reaches down to try and grab him. Jack manages to squeeze himself into a small crevice, using his knife to fend off the huge paw. Eventually, Kong gives up and leaves. Jack and Ordesky climb up on their respective sides once the styracosaurus departs as well, and Jack instructs Ordesky to try and make it back to the wall to inform Wilson that he's going to continue following Kong alone.

Meanwhile, Ann finds herself menaced in her tree by a tyrannosaurus. It knocks the tree down, spilling Ann into the grass. She runs in the direction of Devil's Chasm, the tyrannosaurus hot on her heels. Her screams cause Kong to forget about Jack, and he comes racing to her rescue, running headlong into the tyrannosaurus. The two proceed to fight. The battle is long and fierce, and ends with Kong breaking the dinosaur's jaw. The wounded tyrannosaurus then retreats back into the jungle. Kong picks up Ann again and continues on.

Denham climbs out of the gorge on Jack's side a bit later, and realizes he has his small camera with him. Determined to get a photo of Kong, he heads off in the direction Jack went.

Ann is meanwhile beginning to warm up to Kong, since he saved her from the tyrannosaur and has treated her gently the entire time. Kong reaches his lair - a spacious cavern high atop the mountains of the island. Setting her in a small alcove for safekeeping, he sets about killing a giant snake when it attacks him by dashing its head against a rock. He then eats the snake and offers some to Ann, who politely refuses. Picking her up again, Kong carries her out onto a cliff that overlooks the entire island. He beats his chest triumphantly, then begins to gently play with his new "bride," picking off her clothes but stopping when she becomes insistent that he do so. Denham catches up to Jack, whois surprised he is alive and asks about the other two men. Denham waves it off and Jack returns to trying to figure out how to get Ann away from Kong. They slip into the cave and Denham, shocked by the sight of the dead giant snake, jumps back and knocks over some rocks. This alerts Kong, who momentarily leaves Ann on the cliff and comes down into the cave to investigate. Jack and Denham hide.

Back in the native village, Wilson is gloomily informed by Bagley that the oil deposit is a complete washout. Just then, Ordesky returns and informs them and Captain Englehorn of the loss of all the men. Englehorn wants to leave, but Wilson says they'll wait until the following day. If Jack doesn't come, they leave.

Back at Kong's lair, the huge ape's search for the intruders is interrupted when Ann is suddenly attacked by a vicious pterodactyl, and none too soon, as Kong was just about to uncover Jack. Racing to Ann's rescue, Kong wrestles the flying reptile. This gives Jack time to slip in and grab Ann's arm, and they race from the cave. Denham stays to film the battle, but suddenly all three humans are attacked by more pterodactyls, one of whom knocks Denham's camera from his grasp and breaks it. He races after Jack and Ann, and the trio escapes to the safety of the dense jungle below. In the meantime, Kong has succeeded in killing his pterodactyl opponent. Realizing Ann is gone, he bellows with rage and thunders down after the humans. Jack, Ann, and Denham run through the jungle, the huge ape swiftly gaining on them.

They make it to the village (Jack knows the way thanks to the big dead stegosaur), and Kong breaks through the doors of the wall, and starts demolishing native huts as everyone, crewmen and natives alike, run for their lives. Jack and Ann make it with Wilson to the boats, but don't push off just yet, while Captain Englehorn orders molotovs hurled at Kong. A few of these succeed in bringing down the King of Skull Island. However, he is merely rendered unconscious. In a frenzy, Denham announces that this will make a great show on Broadway. When he learns that the oil wells are a washout, he persuades Wilson to give him the financial backing for this, citing that Petrox will more than earn back the money spent on this otherwise failed expedition. Wilson is skeptical, but agrees. Jack and Ann, who decline to head back to the ship yet, are opposed to it. Kong could potentially hurt people and be hurt himself, but Denham ignores them. Proverbial dollar signs in his eyes, he announces excitedly: "I can see it up in lights on Broadway! Kong! The Eighth Wonder of the World!"

Kept in the hold of the Venture in chains, Kong moans pitifully as the ship heads for New York. Ann hates listening to him, expressing to Jack her displeasure about his treatment. Jack says he understands, but tells her there's not much he can do for the time being, and promises her he'll talk to Wilson about a limited tour of Kong, followed by returning him to Skull Island where he belongs. On the bridge, Captain Englehorn expresses his own concern about Kong to Wilson. Kong is a dangerous animal, he says, and has already killed over twenty people, and that taking him back to civilization is a bad idea. Denham, angry, flatly tells Englehorn he won't get a cut of the money if he doesn't shut up.

The ship arrives at New York on schedule. Ann wants to see Kong, but Denham is now unofficially in charge since it was his idea. He tells her she can't see him until the show the following day. Jack takes her to a hotel, where they discuss the events that have taken place. Jack wants to know why Ann has taken such a liking to Kong, and she tells him that despite his sometimes fierce exterior, he can be a truly gentle creature under the right circumstances. She then adds that this isn't one of those circumstances, and has a bad feeling about the show tomorrow. The next night, the theater rented by Denham and Wilson sports huge banners reading "Kong - The Eighth Wonder of The World!" Tickets for the show are sold out, and Denham is in the back office gleefully counting the money earned. Bagley comes in to tell his boss' partner that the seats are all taken, but paying customers are still willing to stand in the aisles. Jack and Ann come in at this point, for the dual purpose of Ann seeing Kong and Jack talking to Wilson like he said. Denham is pleased that Ann is there, since he wants to have her in the show. At first she refuses, but she becomes seduced by the man's promises of fame and fortune.

When she asks to see Kong, Denham tells her she'll see him when the curtain goes up like everyone else. Jack asks her if she's serious about being a part of this, and she says she is. Dejected, Jack leaves the room while Ann goes to get hurriedly dressed. On the way out, he runs into Wilson. The Petrox exec placates him by assuring Jack that this is a one-time show; Petrox has made double the money spent on the expedition in just one night. Just as Wilson promises Jack that Kong will be returned to Skull Island within the week, Denham walks up and says he won't allow that. An argument ensues over ownership of Kong, when Bagley arrives and tells them it's almost show time. As they head to the stage, Denham hisses to Wilson that they'll settle the matter in court later. A short time later Jack remains backstage as Denham, with Ann and Wilson in tow, goes onstage to greet the impatient crowd.

Denham is dressed up in the stereotypical "white hunter" outfit - safari shorts, pith helmet, he even has a prop rifle! Banners for Petrox hang everywhere. The stage has been made up to resemble a gaudy version of the Skull Island altar, and Ann is tied to two posts by a pair of "natives," while Denham goes to the microphone and spouts a glorified tale of their adventure, casually omitting the parts involving ghastly death and dinosaurs. The curtain opens to reveal Kong, chained inside a cage shaped like a Petrox gas tank and wearing a gaudy crown on his head. Ann instantly regrets choosing to do this. As Denham yells "The Power of Kong! And Petrox!" to the excited crowd, Wilson looks ashamed, too. Backstage, Jack just looks disgusted. A swarm of reporters is allowed onstage by Denham to take pictures, and Ann unties herself (they didn't really tie her up) and decides to leave, but the reporters try to make her stay for more pictures, despite the objections of Wilson.

Kong gets agitated seeing all these people swarming around Ann, and fights to break free of his chains. Even as Wilson assures the crowd that the chains are unbreakable, Kong breaks them. The crowd panics and starts running. This sends Kong over the top, and he fights twice as hard. His crown falls off and onto Denham, knocking him to the ground. Jack rushes onstage and Ann greets him. With Kong distracted ripping apart the cage, they slip backstage again, planning to go out the back. Kong finally breaks free, and a huge section of the cage breaks lose, falling onto Denham and crushing him before he has a chance to get up.

After witnessing Denham's death, Wilson leaps off the stage and runs after the crowd. He barely avoids being stepped on by Kong as the giant ape, now freed, storms across the audience, trampling several people into the floor. He erupts out of the front of the theater, the terrified people from inside pouring into the streets. All this combined results in several car crashes. The police arrive and shoot at Kong, but he throws a car at them and then steps onto their own vehicle, squishing it. Jack and Ann come out of the alley on the side of the theater and are swept into the screaming crowd. Jack and Ann jump into an abandoned car and drive across the Brooklyn Bridge where they hide out in the lobby of a hotel. Kong, meanwhile, continues to wreak havoc as he destroys an elevated train and is shot at by more police. He disposes of them and saunters off looking for Ann.

In the meantime, Mayor of New York Gerald Cohagen calls in the National Guard, hoping they will succeed where the police have failed. Soon National Guardsmen fill the steets with tanks and the skies with helicopters. Martial law is enforced to keep the civilians inside the saftey of their homes. National Guard Commander Turner orders the Brooklyn Bridge wired with explosives to blow up in case Kong tries to cross it, informing Mayor Cohagen that apes can't swim. Of course, that doesn't matter when the water is only neck-high to the ape in question, and Kong successfully crosses the river and into the area unprotected by the National Guard. As they scramble across the bridge, he inadvertantly triggers the explosives and the bridge blows up, sending the National Guardsmen's tanks and jeeps into the water.

Hearing the explosion, Jack comes out of the hotel and sees Kong coming. Telling Ann to stay put, he runs to a phone booth down the street and calls the Mayor's office. In Cohagen's office, Wilson is trying to convince Commander Turner to bring in Kong alive, while Cohagen is demanding that Kong be killed. The phone rings, and one of the Mayor's aides informs them it's Dr. Driscoll. Putting him on speaker phone, Cohagen listens to what Jack has to say. The ecologist promises to divulge the location of Kong only if the city officials promise to capture him alive. Before Cohagen can answer, Turner cuts in and gives Jack his word that he'll bring in Kong alive, much to the Mayor's chagrin.

At this very moment, Kong walks up and spots Ann in the hotel lobby through the lobby's large skylight. Just as Jack informs Cohagen that Kong is near the Chrysler Building, he hears smashing glass and turns in time to see the giant ape stomping towards him, Ann in his grasp! He barely has enough to leap aside as Kong's foot comes down and crushes the phone booth. He then discretley follows after him yet again. After the connection is cut, Turner orders his men to saddle up and leaves the the Mayor's office. Having no intention of capturing Kong, Cohagen pulls aside the Commander's lieutenant and orders him to disregard anything Turner says and kill the giant ape. Overhearing this, Wilson tries to run after Turner to warn him, but is too late as the Commander drives off. He jumps into his own car and races after him.

Still holding Ann, Kong starts to climb up the Chrysler Building. Jack runs inside and takes an elevator to the top floor, but the door to the roof is locked. Below, the National Guard arrivesand puts searchlights on Kong as he reaches the rooftop. Jack manages to kick the door open and rushes onto the rooftop, but cannot get near Ann. Commander Turner orders his men to stand down and wait until Kong puts Ann down, but the lieutenant and several soldiers armed with flamethrowers take a window washer's elevating platform up the side of the building. There, they singe Kong's fur with the flamethrowers, but he fights back, setting down Ann and ripping off part of the top of the building and hurling it down at his tormentors. The debris destroys the window washer's platform and the soldiers fall to their doom. Jack takes this chance to once again slip in unnoticed and grab Ann. By now, both Commander Turner and Jack realize they were lied to as a squadron of 4 attack choppers arrives and circles the building. They open fire on Kong, the bullets ripping into him. He fights back, knocking the first chopper out of the sky. It crashes into the adjoining building and explodes. Ann breaks away from Jack and tries to get Kong to pick her up, yelling they won't continue firing if he's holding her, but he pushes her back towards Jack to safety and resumes his fight.

Unfinished...