It looks like 20th Century Studios and THE MAZE RUNNER director Wes Ball’s PLANET OF THE APES reboot won't be connected to the recent trilogy that included RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, and WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES.
No, today we're hearing that this new PLANET OF THE APES will instead just go ahead and remake the original 1968 film starring Charlton Heston. Because that worked out so well for Tim Burton. Evidently, the remake is set to begin filming later this year for a release sometime in 2022.
We'll keep you updated. In the meantime, remember that Ball tweeted back in December:
I grew up on the original and absolutely love the previous trilogy. I would only do this if I felt I could offer something special while still honoring what’s come before. We have something that’s shaping up to be an awesome chapter to this franchise.
The original 1968 film was based on the novel by Pierre Boulle and centered on three astronauts marooned on a futuristic planet where apes rule and humans are slaves. The stunned trio discovers that these highly intellectual simians can both walk upright and talk. They have even established a class system and a political structure. The astronauts suddenly find themselves part of a devalued species, trapped and imprisoned by the apes.
Wes Ball will write and direct the new PLANET OF THE APES remake with David Starke and Joe Hartwick Jr producing.