King Kong Lives (1986): cast, story & where to watch
1986 · Film · ★ 5.1
Released in 1986, King Kong Lives is an action, fantasy, adventure and horror film directed by John Guillermin, running about 105 minutes. “America's biggest hero is back... and he is not happy.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. After falling from the Twin Towers, Kong lies in a coma for ten years. When his heart begins to fail, scientists engineer an artificial heart, and a giant female ape is captured to serve as a source for a blood transfusion. When Kong awakens following his heart transplant, he senses the nearby presence of the female ape and the two escape to wreak havoc together.
Who’s in it. King Kong Lives stars Linda Hamilton as Amy Franklin, Brian Kerwin as Hank Mitchell, John Ashton as Lt. Col. R.T. Nevitt and Peter Michael Goetz as Dr. Andrew Ingersoll, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.1/10, King Kong Lives has proved divisive with audiences. It went on to earn $4.7M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch King Kong Lives page.
If you liked it. Fans of King Kong Lives tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch King Kong Lives (1986)?
- In US, King Kong Lives is available to stream on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is King Kong Lives worth watching?
- King Kong Lives holds an audience score of 5.1 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, fantasy, adventure and horror. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in King Kong Lives?
- King Kong Lives stars Linda Hamilton, Brian Kerwin, John Ashton, Peter Michael Goetz and Peter Elliott.
- When was King Kong Lives released?
- King Kong Lives was released in 1986, with a runtime of about 105 minutes.