MTV goes behind the scenes of Kong: Skull Island to reveal character backstories

Get More: 2016 MTV Movie Awards, Latest Movie News, A Sneak Peek From The Set Of ‘Kong: Skull Island’ – 2016 MTV Movie Awards

During the MTV Movie Awards pre-show, the network aired a sneak peek at the upcoming Kong: Skull Island. The behind-the-scenes video basically consists of actors stalking through the jungle and reacting to fantastic beasts that will be added later in post, but this allows the preview to highlight the characters in the film, a refreshing first step for a movie that will likely descend into digital mayhem in short order.

In an on-set interview, Tom Hiddleston explains that his character is a former British SAS officer who joins an exploratory mission to an uncharted island because he “understands nature and the ways of the jungle.” Meanwhile, Brie Larson plays a “photojournalist and peace activist” on the expedition who “wants to work with these creatures rather than fight against them,” a common viewpoint that may change once a giant dinosaur tries to use her as a toothpick.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new film is that it will be set in the ’70s, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and that some of the subtext will tackle how jungle warfare changes people. The promise that this movie will be about something other than Kong performing double-leg takedowns on other beasts while playing hot potato with a screaming Brie Larson is enough to drum up excitement for its release on March 10, 2017.