Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

[blu-mike]

When any studio releases a major tentpole movie that's got even the vaguest possibility of making a sequel, you can assume that studio is aiming to build the movie as the first in the trilogy, or maybe an even bigger franchise from there. The first Pirates of the Caribbean film didn't automatically scream for a sequel, and there sure wasn't anyone assuming after The Hangover that we'd see more adventures from Phil and the gang. But any time a studio spends a lot of money on something, they not only plan to get back their investment, but use that money to make more and more where that came from.

So the news in today's Entertainment Weekly that Rise of the Planet of the Apes screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver "pictured a trilogy" isn't exactly shocking. But given that this is the latest installment in a franchise that includes five films (six if you count the Tim Burton remake), it's interesting that they're limiting themselves to just three. Here's the conversation in question:

If this is the Moses story — a leader taking his people to freedom — then do you see the potential sequel as a kind of Joshua story, with the Apes fighting wars and conquering the world?
AS: I’m touching wood, because I’m superstitious! We definitely have ideas for where the sequel — plural, where the sequels — would take us. And those were kind of built into –
RJ: — the construction of the narrative already. There hasn’t been an official discussion yet about a sequel, because I think everyone still doesn’t want to jinx where we are. But we definitely have ideas.
AS: When we started this, we knew that this movie would stand on its own, and we designed it that way. But if it didn’t stand on its own, we pictured a trilogy that would start with this movie.



They go on in the interview to say that they have ideas for how to incorporate the Icarus, the manned space mission to Mars seen in the background of Rise of the Planet of the Apes that also also happens to have Charlton Heston's Astronaut Taylor on board. As a very clear prequel to the events of the original Planet of the Apes-- acting as a giant spoiler for that movie if you've somehow missed the iconic Statue of Liberty ending all these years-- Rise of the Planet of the Apes sets up a lot of Easter Eggs for the stories to follow. Had the movie not been a hit, we could have all just mentally linked those hints to the previous films that already exist. But now that Rise is one of the summer's biggest surprise hits, Jaffa and Silver are charged with further weaving their own story into the existing world of Apes films-- and at some point, maybe diverging from them entirely.

The fact that they've planned for three films is promising, though, indicating that the world established by Rise is also one with a firm end point, and no potential to wander endlessly around mythologies that nobody cares about. Then again, we would have said that about the Pirates trilogy, and yet the fourth one showed up anyway. The fate of the Apes is really in the hands of Fox, who could easily decide to make six more of these after all; if they keep Jaffa and Silver around, though, we've at least got a decent shot at the next two being good.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Rise-...ere-26184.html

[Walts Ghost]

Andy Serkis Signs ‘Planet of the Apes’ Sequel Deal

I think it’s fair to say that Rise of the Planet of the Apes surprised a great many people. (Myself included.) Powered by a nuanced performance from Andy Serkis as the ape Caesar and cutting-edge effects wizardry from WETA, Rise shrugged off assumptions that it was a hackneyed cash-in sequel to become that rare summer tentpole that scored both critical and audience approval.

Now Fox has announced that it plans to stage a campaign for Oscar recognition for Serkis, and has signed him to reprise the role of Caesar in multiple additional Apes films.

Deadline notes that Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt was already set for a sequel, thanks to the language in his deal. Now Andy Serkis is set for “multiple future installments of the series.” We’ve known that sequels have been considered for the film, and that screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver thought of this summer’s film as the first of a trilogy.

There are no deals yet in place for James Franco and/or Freida Pinto, Fox will figure out whether or not to bring them back as the storyline for the next film is finalized.

I wonder, too, if Serkis might have leveraged Fox into hiring him to direct second unit on an Apes film. He has been doing that duty for Peter Jackson on The Hobbit, and it seems clear that Serkis is determined to move into the director’s chair at some point in the near future.

Source

[Walts Ghost]

I loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes, so I look forward to seeing where they go with the sequel. Can't wait.

[bainbridge's_stache]

Me too! It's always a good sign when a director is so enthusiastic about a film that he already has ideas on where to take future installments.

[Snicket]

I approve this idea.


Serkis needs an Oscar.

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

I loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes, so I look forward to seeing where they go with the sequel. Can't wait.

I missed the first one in theaters, but will catch is soon in Blu-ray. Good news abut the sequel .

[ZoetMB]

They already made the sequel. It's called "Contagion"

[nolfoc]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

I missed the first one in theaters, but will catch is soon in Blu-ray. Good news abut the sequel .

you missed on hell of a movie Titan

damn i just noticed you're up to 800 Blus!

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

They already made the sequel. It's called "Contagion"

Contagion was awful, I don't know how i made it through that one

[Wally Q]

I'm curious to see where they take this. I do think whenever they decide to end the run, Caesar should die by human hands which would provoke the onslaught of the apes and the doom of mankind. Otherwise, aside from the revolt in SF, Caesar didn't much condone death to man by apes.

I'm really excited about the potential for this franchise and hope Rothman had a Ebenezer Scrooge-like epiphany to stop sabotaging artists and let them tell amazing stories and to make his studio money.

[nolfoc]

Originally Posted by Wally Q

I'm curious to see where they take this. I do think whenever they decide to end the run, Caesar should die by human hands which would provoke the onslaught of the apes and the doom of mankind. Otherwise, aside from the revolt in SF, Caesar didn't much condone death to man by apes.

I'm really excited about the potential for this franchise and hope Rothman had a Ebenezer Scrooge-like epiphany to stop sabotaging artists and let them tell amazing stories and to make his studio money.

I believe the Director had intended a trilogy from the start, so i dont see Caesar dying in this movie.. I have a feeling the movie will start to show the apes forming their own area where they will evolve and speak while making more Ex1 or whatever it was called having more apes join them, then a classic fight scene at the end. If Franco returns I have a feeling maybe he dies in the hands of Caesar at the end of the movie, and Caesar takes full control and actually

[Show spoiler]kills

this time around. But i feel this idea is too obvious so i hope differently

[remake]

I became a James Franco fan when I watched Rise in theatres. I hope he returns.

[Wally Q]

My only complaint involves Franco but indirectly; so many years fly by and a person in Franco's position should already be in his early to mid 30s when the original experiment "fails" and then, I believe, over a decade passes and he still looks pretty damn youthful. The only person who ages is the next door neighbor and if it were not for him and Caesar, you'd think only a few months flew by than a decade.

[kryptonite1970]

Andy Serkis is a great actor who has the potential to be a Film Director.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by Wally Q

My only complaint involves Franco but indirectly; so many years fly by and a person in Franco's position should already be in his early to mid 30s when the original experiment "fails" and then, I believe, over a decade passes and he still looks pretty damn youthful. The only person who ages is the next door neighbor and if it were not for him and Caesar, you'd think only a few months flew by than a decade.

Thats true but its unfortunitly common in movies. Mr Potter and Uncle Billy don't age a day in the 30 years It's a Wonderful Life covers.

True it takes a chimp a decade to reach full size from infancy so it makes little sense Franco doesn't age as the movie goes on

[masoud90]

Hopefully they will do just as a good job with this sequel as the film.

[Edword]

Loved this film and can't wait for the sequel

[EricJ]

So, if the first Rise was "Conquest of", this one's going to be the remake of "Battle for the POTA"?
Who gets to play the Severn Darnden character?

[Phoenix Theory]

i was always a Franco fan and i too hope he returns.This was my favorite movie of the year cant wait for the sequel.

[DesertFenix]

I can imagine that the sequel will be more of the humans trying to deal with the problem of the spreading virus, while the apes continue to build their own civilization.

I can see that possibly with their attempts to find a cure they go back to the apes to find out exactly why the virus doesn't kill them. This can lead to many things depending on where they want to go with it. They can have Franco come back to lead the work on finding a cure. Now to get the apes cooperation they can either play off the relationship between Franco and Ceasar or the humans may forcefully take some of the apes captive sparking more battles between humans and apes.

The next movie I would think would be about trying to find the cure and the apes securing their place while taking in more apes, and possibly rescuing apes. I can imagine the ending being the humans losing all hope creating the cure, perhaps their most promising attempt fails.

The final movie will probably be the apes taking over completely. Franco and possibly Ceasar would most likely die in this film. Now something that I can possibly see happen is that a side affect of their attempts at a cure could leave the humans less intelligent thus bringing them to their cave man like state from the original movie.

Those are just some snapshots of things I can think of happening. There are many other possibilities.

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by DesertFenix

I can imagine that the sequel will be more of the humans trying to deal with the problem of the spreading virus, while the apes continue to build their own civilization.

I can see that possibly with their attempts to find a cure they go back to the apes to find out exactly why the virus doesn't kill them. This can lead to many things depending on where they want to go with it. They can have Franco come back to lead the work on finding a cure. Now to get the apes cooperation they can either play off the relationship between Franco and Ceasar or the humans may forcefully take some of the apes captive sparking more battles between humans and apes.

The next movie I would think would be about trying to find the cure and the apes securing their place while taking in more apes, and possibly rescuing apes. I can imagine the ending being the humans losing all hope creating the cure, perhaps their most promising attempt fails.

The final movie will probably be the apes taking over completely. Franco and possibly Ceasar would most likely die in this film. Now something that I can possibly see happen is that a side affect of their attempts at a cure could leave the humans less intelligent thus bringing them to their cave man like state from the original movie.

Those are just some snapshots of things I can think of happening. There are many other possibilities.

Those are all good ideas Ill ad some of my own

With the first movie a big hit Im hoping the second movie can be given an expanded budget so we can get better effects work and a native 3D shoot. I think with double the effects budget it may be possible to make photo-realistic apes for the sequel since the first movie came pretty close sometimes despite a reletively mediocre budget and production time.

Power struggle - Since the first movie examined the ethics of the way humans treat other apes species the second movie should reverse this and have apes in positions of power. Caesar since he was raised by humans will probably be the voice of reason while other apes after aquiring the ability to speak will favor more brutal methods to take over

The original movies potrayed Gorillas as the most aggressive and warlike of the apes and Chimpanzes as pacefists but science has shown the Gorillas are far less agressive then Chimpanzes. I hope the new series makes a more balanced effort to potray the interactions of different ape species