Tom Hiddleston to star in King Kong origin movie Skull Island

Legendary's giant ape thriller follows Godzilla reboot

'Thor' actor Tom Hiddleston (Getty Images)

Tom Hiddleston has reportedly signed up to star in a movie focusing on King Kong's backstory (seriously).

Skull Island will "focus on the giant gorilla’s mysterious and dangerous world" according to Variety, his origins having only been touched on in previous films.

Indie director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is attached to helm the movie, with Max Borenstein writing the screenplay (he previously did the same for another monster movie, Godzilla).

It is not yet known what character Hiddleston will be playing.

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The actor is best known for his role of Loki in the Avengers films, and will soon star in Guillermo del Toro's horror film Crimson Peak.

Emails sent between Hiddleston and Avengers director Joss Whedon surfaced recently in which the actor enthuses about his role, saying: "It's grand and epic and majestic and poetic and lyrical and wicked and rich and badass and might possibly be the most gloriously fun part I've ever stared down the barrel of playing. It is just so juicy."