Can Peter Jackson return as king?
When his 2003 film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King collected 11 Oscars, Jackson became the do-no-wrong helmsman in Hollywood. And it’s his clout that makes King Kong a contender. Without Jackson, Kong is just a monkey movie, “but no one does action like him,” says David Poland of movie citynews.com. “So, right now, anything he touches is taken seriously.” The film’s box-office debut last week, however, could take the air out of the ape. The movie made $50 million in its debut weekend, $15 million below expectations. If it doesn’t soon recoup its $207 million budget — it’s now at $77 million —Kong probably will vie for mostly technical awards. 7 Can early films make a late run? Oscar is notorious for its short-term memory. Of the best-picture candidates, up to 70% are released in November and December, says Inside Oscar author Damien Bona. But there are notable early releases catching voters’ attention: Crash, released in May, August’s The Constant Gardener, and A History
