Universal Orlando Reveal The Creatures of Islands of Adventure Skull island : Reign of Kong

Universal Orlando released a new video and Gifs files showing the "unimaginable creatures" that guests of Skull Island will face off at Universal Orlando Islands of Adventure! 

When you embark this summer at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, you won’t be alone. 
Here you’ll come face to face with unimaginable creatures that prowl this mysterious and foreboding world. 

Massive winged beasts that hunt from the skies. Serpentine predators that burrow through the earth and attack from below. Giant insects that infest the jungles. These are just a few of the deadly creatures you’ll encounter on Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

   
Arachno-claw

These carnivorous arachnids move throughout the swampy underworld of the island’s dark caverns, foraging for dead or injured creatures. The six-legged scavenger uses its crab-like claws to crush its prey before feasting on the remains.

 
Carnictis

The giant, slug-like Carnictis lacks eyes or facial features. But its gaping, oozing mouth—ringed with sharp, jagged teeth—is a distinguishing feature that allows this slow but relentless creature to feed on dead and wounded beings that have succumbed to the wretched, murky chasms of the island.


 
Decarnocimex

One of the largest and most aggressive cave-dwelling inhabitants on the island, the Decarnocimex will attack anything smaller or weaker that dares to cross its path. These vicious insects tear apart their prey with their razor-sharp mandibles and two-bladed forearms.

Terapusmordax
 
These are the largest flying predators on the island, with wingspans up to 10 feet. They live in colonies within the island’s interior caverns and are easily provoked. Spearing victims with lethal talons, they use large carnivorous fangs to penetrate anything—or anyone—caught in their jaws of death.
 
Vastatosaurus rex
 
The V. Rex is the largest, most intimidating dinosaur that roams the island’s dense jungles. Despite its large, bulky head and tough leathery skin, it’s an agile predator, changing direction at high speeds and ripping into its prey with razor-sharp teeth.
 

Are you ready to face them all?
 
To learn more about what else awaits you at Skull Island: Reign of Kong, stay tuned to the blog or sign up for email updates.
 
And, you can tune into Syfy on March 30 at 9/8c to see a whole new side to these terrifying creatures on the hit special effects makeup show, Face Off.

Pictures and video: copyright Universal Orlando 

Universal Orlando Unveil Skull Island : Reign of Kong Trackless Vehicle

Universal Orlando revealed more about the trackless ride vehicle of Skull Island : Reign of Kong, and massive is the right word as the new expedition vehicle measures 40 feet long and 13 feet high, weighs17 tons and will carry up to 72 people, all this on a totally trackless system. The front and back axles can be steered independently, allowing the vehicle to do sharp twists and turns despite its size and 45-inch wheels. We also learn the name of the company doing these Skull Island "expeditions" and it is named "Eight Wonders of the World Expeditions"!

Five characters will be "behind the wheel" to guide the guests through Skull Island and each will have a story to tell. It doesn't mean you'll have the five characters in each vehicle but a different one in each of them. And we don't know yet if they will be Audio-Animatronics as rumored, or not. But that also mean the ride experience will be different with each driver's story and you'll have to ride Reign of Kong more than once to get the full experience! Here are their names:

Becky Callahan: The loose-cannon cowgirl who isn’t fazed by the dangers awaiting her on Skull Island.
Will Denham: The fresh-faced, adventure-seeking younger cousin of famed movie director Carl Denham.
Jinks Costanza: A hardened New York City ex-con who is wary of the island’s mysteries.
Kalana: A mystical descendent of the natives who first settled on the island.
Charles “Doc” Jordan: A PhD student in paleontology who took time off from his studies to explore the world.




Universal also released another new video showing a first look at Skull Island : Reign of Kong ride film, vehicle and Great Wall at Universal Islands of Adventure!




This Reign of Kong is more and more exciting and i can't wait for its opening this summer at Islands of Adventure!

Pictures and video: copyright Universal Studios

King Kong is Back in "King Kong The Musical" in Melbourne, Australia !

King Kong is Back in "King Kong The Musical" which had its premiere last month down under in Melbourne, Australia, and it looks damn' spectacular! 

80 years after Merian C. Cooper's 1933 classic King Kong is back at the Regent Theatre, in Melbourne, Australia -- thanks to a six-meter high "puppet animatronic" - which weighs one ton - and the pioneering work of puppeteer Sonny Tilders who previously did the amazing dinosaurs of the "Walking with Dinosaurs" stage show.

From CNN.com: "When the multi-million dollar project started five years ago, Tilders originally set out to create a fully animatronic creature but ended up combining old-fashioned puppetry with modern robotics."We were considering having two versions. We were developing other technologies that we would need for animatronic limbs to move," he said.

"But to cut a long story short, we were so impressed by what the manned puppet could do that we had a change of heart and said we should do the whole show with marionette puppets. It made much more sense."

Suspended from the ceiling, Kong's limbs are manipulated on stage by 10 specially trained stage circus artists who scurry over and around the puppet, shifting his arms and legs by hand or using ropes.
Clad in black from head to toe, these shadowy figures called the "King's Men," work in tandem with three off-stage puppeteers -- the "voodoo" operators -- who control the mechanical functions inside Kong.




Around 300 meters of electrical wiring are crammed inside the puppet's steel and aluminum shell powering 16 microprocessors and 15 servo motors which move Kong's eyes, eyebrows and eyelids, nose, lips, jaw, neck and shoulders. He also makes sounds -- a vital part of making his movements appear realistic, says Tilders.

Marrying the mechanical functions of interior with the organic-looking Lycra and latex exterior is one of the big challenges of animatronics, Tilders says. "We wanted to create a puppet that was really dynamic on stage. One of the ways to solve that and not kill anyone or destroy the puppet or the stage itself was to make his extremities -- his arms and fists -- in a way that has as little steel as possible."

From the elbow down, Kong's arms are filled with air, allowing him to furiously pound the floor without causing a minor earthquake. Overlaying the air bags are a series of sculptured muscle bags made from a stretchy nylon material that expands and contracts to mimic the sinewy movements of the real thing.

"Often (big puppets) are quite simple and slow, but what we've developed is a hybrid technology enabling us to do some powerful and specific moves."




The Creature Technology Company's ambitions were aided by UK-based stage automation experts Stage Technologies who provided the four-ton track-and-trolley system suspended above the stage.
"It's a machine that allows Kong to both move around the stage and be raised up and down but also take different positions," said Stage Technologies' Group CEO Mark Ager.

"We move his torso with eight winches and that allows us to change the aspect of it. So, for instance, when he walks, his shoulders can roll from side to side. It's basically a big boys version of a wooden cross you see on smaller puppets."

The complexity of Kong surpassed anything they have previously built, leading to a few nerves as opening night approached. "Given (Kong) is the main actor it was quite a concern, but it is incredible," he said.

"There's an awful lot of engineering that goes into something that looks so effortless. He feels real. I think you have to see inferior robotic incarnations to see quite how clever (Kong) is."
Overall, it's been an extraordinary collaboration of engineering and software expertise with sculptors, artists, musicians and actors creating a unique spectacle.




The critics like it too. Many have warmed to the show itself since it opened in June and almost all have heaped lavish praise on Kong himself. It's only a matter of time before audiences worldwide get their chance to feel the towering stage presence of Kong, said Tilders."

And the good news is that the show will then go on tour around the world! : "It's definitely going overseas," he said. "The financial model can't rely on 20 million people in Australia. Obviously, we would love to go to Broadway because that's the natural home for the story."

And at the end of the show, when actors and technicians come to salute the audience, Kong comes back on stage to roar one last time!




Here is the official trailer of king Kong, the Musical!




Pictures: copyright King Kong The Musical

Part of Text: copyright CNN.com

Universal Hollywood King Kong 360 3D Video !

One of the most awaited attraction of the year is opening tomorrow at Universal Hollywood: King Kong is back in the beloved Universal Tram Tour, and in 3D thanks to a brand "360 degrees" 3D movie directed by Peter Jackson.



You will find below the first available video of the ride as well as the official making-of with interview of Peter Jackson and Universal Studios Creatives. No need to say that if you want to keep the surprise you should avoid to watch the two first videos which shows the ride itself. Of course, the tram is supposed to move in all direction and guests will see this in 3D which is not the case here... The show looks great, a bit short - but it's always too short when it's good, isn't it?

Here is the first video, filmed during the ride by DaytimeHijacker.



This next video from DreadCentral will show you Peter Jackson introducing the attraction at the Grand Opening yesterday as well as more shots of the ride itself!



Here is another one showing the full ride.



Want to know how it was done? Here is the official making-of!





Video: copyright Universal Studios

New King Kong attraction coming at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2010

Marc Graser from Variety announced that Universal Studios will host in 2010 a brand new King Kong high-tech attraction on the backlot tram tour.

So, Universal Studios is finally bringing back the famous King Kong attraction, and the new one will be inspired by Peter Jackson version, and in 3D! Here is Mark's article:

King Kong may have been a casualty of the devastating fire that destroyed part of Universal Studios' backlot in Hollywood last year, but the big ape's being resurrected in 2010 as a signature attraction for the theme park.

New version will be based on Peter Jackson's redo from 2005 and use high-tech wizardry to re-create elements from the film for riders of the park's backlot tram tour.

Guests will wear 3-D glasses as they travel through Skull Island and encounter a swarm of monstrous bats before winding up in the middle of a fight between King Kong and a 35-foot-tall dinosaur.

Kong, which will utilize what U calls "the world's largest Surround Digital projection system," will be introduced in summer 2010. Expect a major promotional push around the attraction's return to boost ticket sales.

The previous attraction, introduced in 1986, was loosely based on the 1976 pic that mostly took place in New York City. That Kong had been one of the backlot tour's biggest draws until last year's fire.

"King Kong has been an integral part of Universal Studios Hollywood for decades and, after last year's fire, we knew he had to be resurrected for our studio tour guests," said Larry Kurzweil, prexy and chief operating officer of Universal Studios Hollywood. "Not only are we reintroducing King Kong, but we've completely reimagined the experience and will incorporate this legendary icon into a truly innovative studio tour attraction."

King Kong is the latest in a series of enhancements to U's Hollywood park.

Company recently overhauled its trams with high-definition flatscreen monitors and digital playback systems that feature commentary from Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Stephen Sommers on filmmaking.

Studio tours will also resume this summer through a rebuilt Courthouse Square, Brownstone Street and an enhanced New York Street, as well as a new cityscape setting built since the blaze.

Text: copyright Marc Grazer and Variety.com

Picture: copyright Universal