One of New York's most famous visitors - he memorably climbed, and fell from, the Empire State Building in 1933 - returned to the city on Monday.
Security around the giant ape was tight all day - but was Kong being guarded from the public, or the other way round?
Naomi Watts plays the actress with whom King Kong becomes infatuated, previously played by Fay Wray in 1933 and Jessica Lange in a 1976 remake.
The world premiere of Peter Jackson's remake - starring Adrien Brody and Naomi Watts - prompted New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to declare Monday "King Kong Day".