Fox Plans New Return to ‘Planet of the Apes’
Maze Runner director Wes Ball has been brought on by 20th Century Fox to helm a new Planet of the Apes movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Apes feature will be "one of the first historically storied Fox titles" to be redeveloped since the Disney-Fox merger.
The 1968 original movie was based on a French novel of the same name, starring Charlton Heston. The movie’s complex sci-fi themes resonated with audiences, spawning a series of sequels and even a hilarious Simpsons parody. Tim Burton revived the franchise in 2001 as an action thriller, which didn’t generate much love despite its box office numbers. 10 years later, a reboot trilogy beginning with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes starring James Franco kept the apes alive. It’s still a mystery whether or not the new Apes will be a continuation of that series or a beginning of something new.
Ball is no stranger to thought provoking science fiction — he made his directorial debut with 2014’s The Maze Runner, an adaptation of the popular young adult dystopian series. The movie was followed by two sequels: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) and Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018). The series grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide. Ball has yet to reveal how his take on Apes will be adapted for today’s audience.
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