James Franco is in talks to star in the Planet of the Apes prequel Rise of the Apes for 20th Century Fox according to Deadline. The film follows a hyper-intelligent chimp raised by humans who incites a worldwide ape revolution and causes the downfall of humankind.
We heard earlier this month that Peter Jackson’s visual effects company WETA Digital will render photo-realistic apes rather than have actors in costume, so Franco will probably be playing the lead human. Update: Variety say the actor will be playing “a young, driven scientist who becomes a crucial figure in the war between humans and apes.”
Filming on Rise of the Apes will begin in July under the direction of Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist), with a release date set for June 24th 2011.
Franco recently filmed 127 Hours with Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. The film is based on Aron Ralston, the hiker whose arm got pinned under a boulder for hours, forcing him to saw off the limb with a dull knife in order to survive.
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