Survivor: Vanuatu -- Islands of Fire

Vanuatu is an island chain of 15 active volcanoes, so the backdrop will often be the volcano, which reminds me a bit of 'King Kong,''' says exec producer Mark Burnett. The gigantic monkey in the room is, of course, how to top ''Survivor: All-Stars.'' Burnett isn't concerned: ''As long as the vicarious travel experience is there and the casting is good, the game itself takes care of everything else.''

For season 9, Burnett promises the usual combustible cast, and says the biggest challenge for survival on Vanuatu was, oddly, not hot lava but an earthquake. ''For people who had never felt one before, it was a big eye-opener.''

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