If you saw Straight Outta Compton and really enjoyed the chemistry between Dr. Dre and Eazy-E, you're definitely going to want to check out Jordan Vogt-Roberts's Kong: Skull Island when it comes to theaters in 2017. This is because it's been revealed that actor Jason Mitchell will be joining his Compton co-star Corey Hawkins in the blockbuster.
Hawkins has been a part of the Kong: Skull Island cast for a few weeks now, but The Hollywood Reporter now says that Mitchell is in talks to reteam with him on the feature. They're the two latest talents to join an excellent cast, as the ensemble also includes Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and Toby Kebbell. There's also been talk about Samuel L. Jackson and John C. Reilly taking the roles departed by J.K. Simmons and Michael Keaton earlier thus summer, but there has not yet been any confirmation one way or the other about their participation.
Based on a screenplay that is currently being rewritten by Jurassic World co-writer Derek Connolly, the feature will be set in Detroit 1971 and follow a crew of explorers who take a trip to the titular land of mystery and encounter Kong, King Of The Apes. More specific details about the plot have not yet been revealed, though the trade report does say that Jason Mitchell is in line to play "an easy going pilot."
Prior to his co-lead role in Straight Outta Compton, Mitchell only had a few credits to his name - making his big screen debut as a 7-Eleven Cashier in 2011's Texas Killing Fields. After that he appeared in Contraband and Broken City - both Mark Wahlberg titles - but his part in the F. Gary Gray-directed biopic is easily his biggest to date. In addition to Kong: Skull Island, his upcoming slate also includes the Jordan Peele co-written comedy Keanu, and the crime thriller Vincent-N-Roxxy (which has already wrapped production).
Jason Mitchell put on one of the best and most dramatic performances in Straight Outta Compton - portraying both the great highs and the awful lows of Eazy-E's life - and it's hardly a surprise that he's getting more work following his turn. It's also great that he will have the opportunity to reunite with Corey Hawkins in Kong: Skull Island - though, of course, there's no confirmation at this point that they will actually get to share scenes together. It was really the performances by Mitchell and Hawkins (as well as O'Shea Jackson Jr.) that drove the rap-fueled feature, and it's great to see that Universal and Legendary Pictures both want to invest in their futures.
Right now, Kong: Skull Island is on pace to start production in late-October, and in addition to filming in Detroit, there are also plans to do a bit of shooting in Hawaii. The film will be spending a good amount of time in post-production, but will be in a theater near you on March 10, 2017.
