Rise of the Apes Loves (Brian) Cox

Casting News, News, Top Story

Brian Cox, the original Hannibal Lector, is in final negations to reunite with The Escapist director Rupert Wyatts for  the upcoming Planet of the Apes prequel Rise of the Apes, according to The Wrap. In Rise of the Apes, Cox would play the film’s central villain, a cruel owner of a primate sanctuary. Look’s like somebody’s getting poo flung at them when the film’s apes become super smart and revolt.

Cox would join a cast that includes James Franco, who plays a young scientist; John Lithgow, who plays Franco’s father; Don Cheadle; Freida Pinto, who plays a primatologist; and Andy Serkis, who will play the leader of the chimp revolution.

Rise of the Apes, which is still being called a tentative title by Fox, is set in present day San Francisco and would see genetic engineering lead to super smart apes initiating a war for supremacy with their human overlords. The apes will be brought to life by the team at WETA Digital. Rise of the Apes has set a release date of June 24th 2011.

The Buzz: Who doesn’t love Cox? Brian Cox is one of the most consistently good actors working today — especially when he is allowed to give in to the dark side and let wild with some good ol’ fashioned villainy.

Rise of the Apes is quickly becoming an anticipated movie for me. I have a feeling the film will serve as much as a soft reboot for the franchise as it will a prequel. If the film proves to be a success, I can only hope it will lead to more tales of chimp sovereignty told in that sweet spot of time when humans are still rebelling against their simian suppressors.

Robert Saucedo is an avid movie watcher with seriously poor sleeping habits. The Mikey from Life cereal of film fans, Robert will watch just about anything — good, bad or ugly. He has written about film for newspapers, radio and online for the last 10 years. This has taken a toll on his sanity — of that you can be sure. Follow him on Twitter at @robsaucedo2500.