Indiewire Browse the indiewire network

The Playlist

The obsessives' guide to contemporary cinema via film discussion, news, reviews, features, nostalgia, movie music, soundtracks, DVDs and more.

Interviews

Actors

Directors

Archives

The Playlist

Andy Serkis Takes Big Payday For Multiple Sequels To 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
  • |
  • November 3, 2011 5:50 AM
  • |
  • 1 Comment
Director Rupert Wyatt Locked In To Return, Fox Launching Oscars Campaign For SerkisFrom sneered-at needless sequel to a dead franchise to the lone summer blockbuster that managed to pick up both good reviews and a storming box office (it's closing in on $500 million worldwide), "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was probably the most pleasant surprise of the year. And what was perhaps most interesting about how 20th Century Fox turned it around; human stars James Franco and Frieda Pinto took a backseat on the press circuit to a man whose face wasn't seen once on screen in the film -- mo-cap maestro Andy Serkis, who played lead ape Caesar.
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Last-Minute Reshoots Saved James Franco's Character From Death In 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
  • |
  • October 3, 2011 1:19 AM
  • |
  • 2 Comments
We're not sure that there was a bigger surprise this year than "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes." A tired franchise, from a creative-interference-happy studio, with a green director and a plot straight from "Deep Blue Sea?" Even without the initially unpromising trailers, it looked like a late-summer flop. But happily, it was nothing of the kind: the film became easily the warmest-received blockbusters of the summer, launched director Rupert Wyatt onto the A-list, and has taken an impressive $400 million haul; not bad for a film that allegedly cost less than many of its tentpole competitors. A franchise was (re)born.
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Film Studios, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, James Franco, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 20th Century Fox

Christopher Nolan Tops Warner Bros. Wishlist For 'The Twilight Zone'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
  • |
  • September 30, 2011 9:22 AM
  • |
  • 5 Comments
Michael Bay, Alfonso Cuaron & Rupert Wyatt Also In The MixSo yeah, we sort of forgot about this one, but Warner Bros. has been trying to get a reboot of "The Twilight Zone" off the ground for a while now. Way back in 2008 Rand Ravich ("The Astronaut's Wife") was hired to write the script, and then last fall rising scribe Jason Rothenberg was brought on board the project. And that's pretty much all we heard about it. Well, it looks like the studio is aiming for some big names to take the reins.
Read More »
More: Films, Alfonso Cuaron, Christopher Nolan, Michael Bay, Rupert Wyatt, The Twilight Zone

Review: 'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes' Monkeys Around, Showcases Action Over Nuance

  • By Gabe Toro
  • |
  • August 4, 2011 2:19 AM
  • |
  • 3 Comments
When blockbuster films deal with conflict that poses a global threat, the question hangs over them: why is humanity worth saving? It’s the drug-film conundrum: 95 minutes of injections and hard-living make a stronger impression than the therapy and lessons of the remaining 10. Why bother presenting a human population worthy of life, love and discovery when the audience and filmmakers can take more pleasure in annihilating them?
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Review, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, James Franco, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Monkey Vs. Horse: Spoilerific Comic-Con Clip For 'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes' Picks Up The Pace

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
  • |
  • July 22, 2011 1:42 AM
  • |
  • 9 Comments
We're still on something of a knife-edge about "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes," two weeks away from the film's release: talented director Rupert Wyatt and performance capture star Andy Serkis have talked a good talk so far, and elements of it have been intriguing, but the trailers for the most part have been a mixed bag. Unsurprisingly, Fox were out in force with the film on Day 1 of Comic-Con yesterday, with both Wyatt and Serkis on hand to talk up the film, and debuting a new clip, focusing on the third-act ape revolution that looks to hold most of the big action. That clip has now made its way online.
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Andy Serkis And 'Apes' Director Rupert Wyatt Want To Make Performance-Capture Take On 'Animal Farm'

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
  • |
  • July 1, 2011 2:30 AM
  • |
  • 1 Comment
We're about a month from release, and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is still perhaps the biggest question mark of the summer. It's got a high-caliber cast, led by freshly-minted Oscar nominee James Franco and performance capture pioneer Andy Serkis as lead ape Caesar, a promising director, in Rupert Wyatt, who debuted with the little-seen-but-superb "The Escapist," and a script more effective than most tentpole flicks. But at the same time, we haven't really been feeling the trailers to date (the last was the best of them), the "Deep Blue Sea"-esque premise could risk looking silly, and the shunting of release dates (summer, then November, then summer again) has sent mixed messages.
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Animal Farm, Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Indecisive Ape Spotlighted In Riveting New Photo From 'Rise Of The Planet of The Apes'

  • By Gabe Toro
  • |
  • May 12, 2011 1:30 AM
  • |
  • 2 Comments
And that indecisive ape would be Caesar, as performance-captured by Andy Serkis, in this brand new shot from "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes." Caesar appears to be having a hard time deciding whether he wants his beverage to taste great, or to be less filling. He could just ask a human but - oh, crap, no he totally can't because that would just be another attempt for the human to undermine him and his kind. Less filling, you flesh-hogging two-legged miscreants!
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, James Franco, Rise Of The Apes, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Watch: Trailer For 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Has Distinct Whiff Of 'The Happening'

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
  • |
  • April 14, 2011 1:03 AM
  • |
  • 18 Comments
The value of a home-grown franchise for a big studio can't be undervalued, and since they adapted Pierre Boule's novel "La planète des singes" into 1968's "Planet of the Apes," it's become one of 20th Century Fox's key properties, spawning five additional movies, and two separate TV series. But the monkey-heaviest sci-fi series around isn't what it once was, and 2001's Tim Burton 're-imagining' failed to successfully re-launch the franchise, due to being really, really terrible. But you can't keep a good merchandising opportunity down, and the studio have gone back to the well, with the talents of Andy Serkis, James Franco and effects geniuses WETA Digital leading the charge.
Read More »
More: Films, Actors, Actresses, Rupert Wyatt, Genre Films, Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, Rise Of The Apes, Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Follow Us

Email Updates

What's Poppin'

Latest Tweets

  • nowseed

    RT @ThePlaylist: Michael Douglas leaps into Cannes contention for Best Actor. Wonderful performance. in "Behind The Candelabra." (KJ)

    Posted 2 minutes ago
  • HeyUGuys

    RT @ThePlaylist Rewind: 10 Movies Booed At Cannes http://t.co/dFQGEPUtb5

    Posted 11 minutes ago
  • Assma_Maad

    Hâte de voir ça ! RT @ThePlaylist Douglas leaps into Cannes contention for Best Actor. Wonderful performance. in "Behind The Candelabra."

    Posted 13 minutes ago
  • rish69444

    RT @ThePlaylist: Michael Douglas leaps into Cannes contention for Best Actor. Wonderful performance. in "Behind The Candelabra." (KJ)

    Posted 19 minutes ago
Follow us

Recent Comments

Blog Roll

Around The Network

the network

indiewire

categories