My precious Empire State Building

Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in "Lord of the Rings", is set to play King Kong in a new film.

16:34 10 May 2004

Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in "Lord of the Rings", is set to play King Kong in a new film.

A new take on the ape-loves-girl movie classic is being directed by Peter Jackson - the man behind the Rings trilogy - and Serkis is clear favourite to play a pixiliated character again.

Serkis insists he is right for the role, commenting recently: "In the middle of the night, about 12, 13 years ago, I scaled the outside of the Eiffel Tower."

Fears that a new version might play with the original were allayed by director Jackson: "There's the Empire State Building and the biplanes and the whole thing."

Naomi Watts will play the great ape's love interest, Adrien Brody is lined up as her boyfriend and Jack Black will play adventurer Carl Denham.

Production on the film is set to begin in August.