The technical crew for Legendary Pictures arrived in Ninh Binh Province on Wednesday to prepare for the company's new film, Kong: Skull Island or Titan, the upcoming King Kong prequel.

Filming of the upcoming King Kong prequel in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and other places is being viewed as a chance to introduce the beauty of Viet Nam to the world. 

The film staff, including director and screenwriter Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts and cinematographer Larry Fong, will arrive later. Shooting takes place between February 18 and late March.

The film crew will shoot scenes in Trang An, Van Long and Tam Coc of Ninh Binh before moving to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Rao Nan River and Yen Phu Lake in Quang Binh Province and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh.

According to local authorities, the film crew has kept its work secret but they have committed to keep the natural environment clean and intact.

Ha Quang Long, director of Quang Ninh Province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: "The film staff will spend three days shooting in Ha Long Bay in mid-March."

"Many moviegoers around the world are waiting to see Kong: Skull Island in cinemas. We think the filming in Ha Long Bay and other destinations is a good chance to introduce the beauty of Viet Nam to the world," he said.

According to unofficial sources, around 10 per cent of the film's total expense, US$160 million, will be spent on filming in Viet Nam.

According to Hollywood Reporter magazine, Kong: Skull Island will star actors Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, John C. Reily, Samuel L. Jackson and Toby Kebbell.

The film is expected to hit theatres in 2017.

Last year, Vogt-Roberts and his staff of 23 conducted research for the film by travelling around Quang Binh and Ninh Binh.

They visited the mountainous areas of Bo Trach, Thuong Hoa, Trung Hoa and Tan Hoa, all of which are famous tourist destinations.

In his mid-30s, Vogt-Roberts made his directorial debut with the film The Kings of Summer at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It was also screened at the 2013 Cleveland International Film Festival.

It won the Narrative Feature Audience Award at the 2013 Dallas International Film Festival.

Vogt-Roberts also co-wrote and directed the TV series Mash Up.

VNS