Planet of the Apes reboot moving forward

[WyldeMan45]

I have never bothered to watch the originals, so my only Planet of the Apes knowledge comes from that Tim Burton piece of shit. So I'm all for it, but I figured I'd pass on the news so all you Ape fans can cry blasphemy.



Good news Planet of the Apes fans, it appears a reboot of the classic film franchise may in fact be moving forward. While the project was originally thought to be dead, reports indicate that Twentieth Century Fox is eager to get a new film underway. Sources close to the project have said, “…the studio is now more determined than ever to make the film”

Initial speculation about the film not happening came when writer Scott Frank (Minority Report, Marley & Me) left the project. Many thought this was the end of Planet of the Apes, but as it turns out the opposite may be true. Fox has turned the project over to producer Peter Chernin and hired writer Jamie Moss (Street Kings) to revise Frank’s version. Furthermore, scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (The Relic, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle), have returned to the fold to polish the dialogue.

Hit the jump to find out what direction the new Planet of the Apes might take.

While Fox originally wanted to pursue a different story when Frank wrote his script (code named “Caesar“) now, “…the studio wants to make the Caesar project, post haste”

So, just what can we expect from this new tale?

“Frank’s Apes script, code-named Caesar, showed how genetic experiments on apes led to their evolutionary eclipse of humans. “Caesar” refers to the genetically altered leader of the simian rebellion, so dubbed because the ape was capable of grand strategic thinking on par with Julius Caesar (whose own surname means “hairy” in Latin). The “Caesar” code name also foreshadowed the script’s plot: Just as the actual Julius Caesar set Rome on the path to the Roman Empire, the experimental ape’s escape sets in motion his fellow hirsute hominids’ (wait for it … ) guerrilla war and subsequent dominance.”

While the original film started with a planet populated by Apes out of the gate, it will be interesting to see how this origin film plays out. However, if anyone can make it happen it’s certainly Chernin. The producer has been championing a reboot since 1992 when he paid Oliver Stone a million dollars to produce a Return of the Apes film. In fact, Fox is so confident in Chernin, and the script they have, it is likely a director will be hired immediately.

While Tim Burton’s 2001 remake left us with a somewhat enigmatic ending, Planet of the Apes is certainly a franchise worth investing in. Sure, a lot of jokes have been made at the film’s expense but there’s a noteworthy story to be told. Having watched all the films back-to-back, I found myself taken in by the unsung complexity of the story. I know, that’s something you may not hear often regarding Planet of the Apes, but I personally have no doubt that in the right hands this could be a blockbuster series.

Chernin had been passionate about this franchise long before Tim Burton did his 2001 remake. Shortly after Chernin became head of Fox Filmed Entertainment in 1992, he had tried to revive Fox’s Apes franchise, paying Oliver Stone a million dollars to executive produce a Return of the Apes film; in David Hughes 2004 book, Tales from Development Hell, Chernin even called its script, by Terry Hayes (The Road Warrior, From Hell), “one of the best I ever read.” It centered on a geneticist who time-travels back to the Paleolithic Era, where he must help humans win a war against highly evolved apes and protect a young girl whose genes will give ultimately save mankind from a plague. (If this sounds Terminator-esque, get this: Arnold Schwarzenegger was considered for the role of the geneticist.)

Source

[EricJ]

So, it's not a remake/boot of POTA, it's a remake of "Conquest of the POTA", then?
(If, as noted, you don't know that one...look it up. It's on Blu. "Escape" was less downbeat, though.)

And before we get "How did the Burton remake happen?", the answer is that the Oliver Stone version bounced around to James Cameron for a while and then to Roland Emmerich before being crushed under Emmerich's "Godzilla" troubles.
And so, in Hollywood, what do they do when a design-heavy studio-tentpole project bounces off of at least three directors who don't have time for it, and the studio doesn't know how to do it or who will be fool enough to go all the way to production?: "Let's get Timmy!--He'll do it! He'll direct anything!"

At the moment, we're only at the "OTHER Remake" stage, where studios realize the first remake didn't turn out to be such a great idea after all, and try do-over'ing the "right" way.

[Blu-ray Fanatic]

Its about time! I've been waiting for a sequel.

[WyldeMan45]

I am slightly intrigued by the fact that this could be an all new mega franchise if done right. I'd probably check it out depending on the casting and director of course.

[wallendo]

I wish they would have the decency to not call it "Planet of the Apes".

I know they will keep that in the name for marketing and PR reasons, but, I believe a new movie (and this sounds quite different in many ways from the originals) should have a new name.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by wallendo

I wish they would have the decency to not call it "Planet of the Apes".

I know they will keep that in the name for marketing and PR reasons, but, I believe a new movie (and this sounds quite different in many ways from the originals) should have a new name.

Hows about Large Rock of the Pongidae???

Definition of Apes:
any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape), which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape), which includes the gibbon and siamang.

[Dr.Zaius]

For reasons not worth getting into...I'll simply say that I wish this wasn't happening, and avoid this movie the same way I avoided the Burton version.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by dr.zaius

for reasons not worth getting into...i'll simply say that i wish this wasn't happening, and avoid this movie the same way i avoided the burton version.

+1

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Hows about Large Rock of the Pongidae???

Definition of Apes:
any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape), which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape), which includes the gibbon and siamang.

That could work... substitute "Large Rock" with Satellite and you'll have a mega hit on your hands!

Logan

[dmb70]

Why not just make a movie that is closely based on the original book?!

[rkolinski]

Personally, I hope the apes, etc. have evolved enough to not want to be in this!

[Beast]

Originally Posted by dmb70

Why not just make a movie that is closely based on the original book?!

Cause the book would not really work as a straight to film adaption.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Beast

Cause the book would not really work as a straight to film adaption.

Is there a way to give a brief summary as to why that is? As I stated having never seen the movies, I am completely unfamiliar with the original source material as well.

[EvilGav]

With all the reboots/remakes/re-imaginings and the incessant +1 to sequences of films, I find this just another example of how Hollywood has simply run out of idea and/or is now so intent on simply making money, they've forgotten what the point of cinema is.

There are so many great stories out there, with original plots and twists, that almost all of these do-overs aren't necessary.

[Kryptonic]

This is pretty desperate.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by dmb70

Why not just make a movie that is closely based on the original book?!

While the book is interesting, it move's a a slow pace and as very little conflict. There is the surprise ending like in the original movie (in the book the surprise is of a different type) but I don't think that the book as writen would translate well into a movie

[dmb70]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

While the book is interesting, it move's a a slow pace and as very little conflict. There is the surprise ending like in the original movie (in the book the surprise is of a different type) but I don't think that the book as writen would translate well into a movie

That might actually be a refreshing change of pace from the modern explosion every 5 seconds style of film. Granted I'm not saying it has to be a stick to every single word of the book adaptation, but it certainly doesn't have to be an action adventure thrill ride type of flick.
By today's standard the 1968 film (which is one of my all time favorite films) is very slow paced, you don't see the apes until 32 minutes in & the film is quite dialog heavy (again by today's standard).



WYLDEMAN45, You really owe it to yourself to give the original film a viewing, the 4 sequels are enjoyable, but the original is head shoulders above the others IMO.

[Vicon]

I am probably one of the many few that enjoyed the remake that has Mark Wahlberg in it. I also liked the originals (own the blu-ray set). If they do this, they need to do it right and continue with it. Not just make one and call it done. I really hate that.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by dmb70

By today's standard the 1968 film (which is one of my all time favorite films) is very slow paced, you don't see the apes until 32 minutes in & the film is quite dialog heavy (again by today's standard).

OTOH, the script adaptation was by Yes, That Rod Serling, who had experience writing scripts with an actual point--And usually a sociological one at that.
Everyone else (like, say, Tim's age) just remembered the makeup,

[Show spoiler]the statue

, and the fact that Heston had a coupla famous lines that MST3K used to keep quoting.

(Yes, thank you for sacrificing the ritual Remake-Defensive Original-Bashing post, so that nobody else had to traditionally make it... )

Originally Posted by Vicon

I am probably one of the many few that enjoyed the remake that has Mark Wahlberg in it.

And I'm probably the only one who thought the remake came too soon after "Battlefield: Earth" for us not to notice the uncanny plot-for-plot resemblances.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by Vicon

I am probably one of the many few that enjoyed the remake that has Mark Wahlberg in it. I also liked the originals (own the blu-ray set). If they do this, they need to do it right and continue with it. Not just make one and call it done. I really hate that.

i enjoyed it as well and have been waiting for a sequal.

Originally Posted by EricJ

And I'm probably the only one who thought the remake came too soon after "Battlefield: Earth" for us not to notice the uncanny plot-for-plot resemblances.

i didnt notice that though i didnt think battlefield was as bad as everyone says