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Tag: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

  • ‘Planet of the Apes’ Sequel Proves Better Than the First

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hit theaters this weekend and saw some big numbers in its first few days. Dawn, which is the sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, took home $73M, easily making its way into the No. 1 spot in the box office. Second place was Transformers: Age of Extinction, bringing in a measly $16M this weekend. It’s clear: people are fans of the apes.

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reeves, picks up a decade after the first Apes movie, after the simian virus wipes out most of the Earth’s population. Without humans, the genetically evolved apes begin developing a flourishing society. Led by Caesar, the apes encounter a group of surviving humans and begin a tumultuous journey to finding peace. Dawn’s $73M box office easily beats Rise’s $54M opening weekend numbers, proving to be a stronger and smarter film.

    And the critics agree, too: The Hollywood Reporter’s Todd McCarthy says that Dawn “manages to do at least three things well: maintain a simmering level of tension without letup for two hours, seriously improve on a very good first entry in a franchise and produce a powerful humanistic statement using a significantly simian cast of characters.”

    It’s also incredibly visually stunning, as CGI apes are brought to life in a eerily real way, “truly making us believe we are watching intelligent apes in action,” Hollywood Reporter continues. Actors portrayed their ape counterparts with motion capture, adding the humanistic quality to their movements. Stunning effects, combined with a genuine, smart storyline, make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes the breakout movie of the summer.

    Image via YouTube

  • Judy Greer Has ‘Planet of the Apes’ Themed Wedding

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes co-star Judy Greer revealed to Conan O’Brien that she’d opted for a Planet of the Apes-themed wedding during her 2011 nuptials to television producer Dean Johnsen.

    Greer told Conan, “During the cocktail hour, we had the TV screens in the bar with the movies playing. We had Rise (of the Planet of the Apes) playing on one screen and then the original, obviously, Planet of the Apes playing on the bigger screen.” Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set to open on July 11, and is directed by Matt Reeves, of Cloverfield and Let Me In fame. Dawn also features Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell. Russell had previously worked with Reeves on the WB drama Felicity, which was co-created by J.J. Abrams.

    Here Greer relates to Conan her peculiar choice of a wedding theme:

    Greer, 38, is best known for her roles as Kitty Sanchez on Fox’s Arrested Development, as well as Cheryl Tunt on the animated comedy series Archer. In 2011, the actress began hosting an online series of workout videos called Reluctantly Healthy, and in 2014 published her first book, I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star.

    In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Greer plays an ape named Cornelia, set against the goings on of a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar, who are threatened by a band of human survivors. Man vs. Ape action ensues. Here is the trailer:

    Actor James Franco, who starred in the Dawn prequel, 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was not included in the latest film, after Rise director Rupert Wyatt was replaced by Reeves. Freida Pinto, who played primatologist Caroline Aranha in Rise, was also excluded from the sequel.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Official Trailer Released

    Judging from the 2001 Tim Burton remake of Planet of the Apes, moviegoers would have been justified in assuming the classic sci-fi series was truly dead.

    The 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, then, was a huge surprise. That movie, led by James Franco and a CGI ape played by Andy Serkis, won praise from critics and fans alike for its more in-depth storytelling.

    Rise was successful enough that it has spawned a sequel titled Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The sequel will take place more than one decade on from the events of Rise, at a time when the apes are beginning to organize themselves and humans are struggling to survive from a viral epidemic.

    Andy Serkis will reprise his role as Caesar and will be joined by Judy Greer, who plays an ape named Cornelia. A few of the humans that are left in the world will be played by Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, and Jason Clarke.

    After teasing fans yesterday, Fox today has released the first official trailer for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The trailer teases that apes and humans will come to blows over the Earth, though little doubt can be had as to how the conflict will end.