The next recincarnation of King Kong was lucky enough to snag an Oscar-winning actress for its cast. Brie Larson is co-starring alongside Tom Hiddleston in Kong: Skull Island, hitting theaters March 11. But you wouldn't know it from the trailers. (This entertainment writer, for one, had no idea.)
The newest preview for the film, which takes place on a mysterious island in 1973, barely gives us a glimpse at Larson, as Uproxx points out. All of the action features Hiddleston, his male co-stars, and Kong. (Samuel L. Jackson and John Goodman are also in the movie.) The same goes for the teaser released last month.
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The Room actress plays a war photojournalist and peace activist named Mason Weaver in the film. She told Nerdist that her character's "feminine energy" helps her have a greater respect for nature than the men in the film, and a "closer, more loving, and intimate relationship with Kong." (This narrative in itself could be problematic, as it harkens back to Fay Wray's damsel-in-distress role in the 1933 original.)
Perhaps it's intentional that Larson's character is being kept under wraps for a reason. But as the only big-name actress in the film, it's odd (and potentially sexist) that she's not front and center in its marketing. Uproxx journalist Donna Dickens tweeted at the film's director, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, about the issue. His reply was honest and promising. "I can't control the marketing but I can promise you she is not a damsel in the film," he replied. We'll know for sure come March.