An iconic horror-fantasy franchise is ready to go ape.
The next entry in the long-running Planet of the Apes film series from 20th Century Studios is picking up steam, as the lead primate now has been cast, according to a report on Deadline.
Owen Teague–who already has genre roles in It and The Stand to his credit–reportedly will step into the key role and work with director Wes Ball to continue the franchise. Production is expected to start before the end of the year.
Little is known about the storyline of this next film, but Ball reportedly delivered a script to the studio this summer, and the casting process started soon after. As of this moment, no decision has been made on the lead human role.
Ball–perhaps best known for helming the popular Maze Runner trilogy–has already said the new movie will not be a reboot, adding that “Caesar’s legacy will continue.” That reference, of course, was to Andy Serkis’ incredible motion capture portrayal of the intelligent ape in the most recent trilogy.
The original 1968 Planet of the Apes–directed by Franklin J. Schaffner from a screenplay by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling–stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Maurice Evans. The classic film follows an astronaut crew that crash-lands on a strange planet where apes have become the dominant species. And every movie buff remembers (arguably) the best twist ending of all time.
The original series (that included four sequels) was followed by Tim Burton’s 2001 remake, with the reboot of the series starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011.
Keep reading Horror News Network for the next update on the new Planet of the Apes.
