Even though the three-film series started by Rupert Wyatt and continued by Matt Reeves only concluded in the summer of 2017, taking box office earnings past the $1.7 billion mark and earning a well-deserved reputation as one of the modern era’s greatest trilogies, Disney didn’t waste any time returning to the Planet of the Apes well after acquiring the rights to the property in the wake of the Fox takeover.
The latest spin on the mythology that originated way back in 1968 with Charlton Heston’s classic original was officially announced in April 2019, with the Mouse House also establishing that any new adventures would take place in the same continuity as Rise, Dawn and War.
The Maze Runner‘s Wes Ball was announced to be directing, with Josh Friedman penning the screenplay alongside Planet of the Apes veterans Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. We haven’t heard much since then, but in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Andy Serkis revealed he’d be open to strapping on the performance capture leotard again if the story was up to scratch.
“Look, I love that universe, and playing Caesar throughout those three films was an amazing part of my life. So I suppose it all comes down to story and character. If it was an amazing story and an amazing script, I certainly wouldn’t turn it down without thinking about it seriously. I’ll put it that way.”
Serkis was incredible as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes trilogy, delivering a performance that blew away any lingering doubts that actors couldn’t do great work if their faces aren’t seen onscreen in a live-action setting. His arc may be complete, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t play another character if the script was too good to turn down.
