While we at TGD were very skeptical about Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but it proved a worthy reboot of the series to many fans, especially with Andy Serkis’s remarkable motion capture performance as Caesar. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes may not be out in theaters until July 11, but the third Apes movie has already gotten the greenlight, and Matt Reeves will return as director.
Reeves is the director of Cloverfield and Let Me In, and he took over the Apes franchise when Rupert Wyatt bowed out. Now Reeves is in charge of the franchise, which means the next movie could be good enough that Fox wants to keep him around for a while.
Reeves isn’t the only new blood in Apes, by the way. James Franco, whose performance in Rise was thoroughly shellacked by the critics, has been replaced by Jason Clarke, and Gary Oldman and Kerri Russell are also onboard trying to fight for human existence.
In the meantime, Dawn will be in 3D, and it will be a crucial movie in the series. If the second one delivers, it will make audiences clamor for more monkey business. If it sucks, it will take another movie, and a lot of audience good will, to get the series back on track. We’re hoping for the former when Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters this summer.
