Andy Serkis leads the chimp revolt in Rise of the Apes

At first, I thought that RISE OF THE APES might be a disaster.

Then people like James Franco, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, and possibly Don Cheadle started to get cast in the film. Franco and Lithgow immediately changed my tune.

Andy Serkis now joins the cast as Caesar, the ape who leads a massive revolt. This will re-team him with Weta technology. Serkis is quite familiar with Weta as it was used in LORD OF THE RINGS.

Serkis as a motion captured ape. I can’t really argue with this. Damn these dirty apes for making me interested in this project!!!

Here’s what we have so far for a plot:

“Rupert Wyatt will direct the feature, which focuses on a scientist (Franco) who has been working on a cure for Alzheimer’s that is being tested on apes. The test subject named Caesar evolves rapidly, and the scientist takes him home to live with him and protects him from cruel doctors. Lithgow will play Franco’s Alzheimer’s-stricken father. Pinto is the movie’s female lead, a primatologist.”

Shooting will take place in British Columbia with a release date for June 24, 2011.