Matt Reeves To Helm ‘Planet Of The Apes 3′

Right after 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment began screening his cut of Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Matt Reeves has signed on to direct the third installment of the franchise. This time, he will write the script with Mark Bomback, one of the writers who scripted the sequel. Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa were the scribes who resurrected the franchise with Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, the Ruper Wyatt-directed film that grossed $482 million worldwide in 2011. The directing deal is done and the writer deals are being worked out right now. It is likely that Reeves will go right into the third film, a priority for the studio.

The sequel is set to debut July 11, 2014, and it stars Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell, with Andy Serkis reprising his role as Caesar, the intelligent ape that led the breakout from a lab before much of the human race was wiped out at the close of the first film. The survivors square off against Caesar’s growing army in the second film. The pic is based on the Pierre Boulle novel, and was first turned into a film that starred Charlton Heston in 1968.

Peter Chernin is producing the series for Chernin Entertainment with Jaffa and Silver. Reeves, who helmed Cloverfield and the remake Let Me In, is repped by CAA, Howard Klein at 3 Arts and attorney Karl Austen.

Woody Harrelson to Play Villain in New 'Planet of the Apes' Movie

Woody Harrelson has nabbed one of the leading human roles in Fox’s latest Planet of the Apes installment.

Matt Reeves, who directed 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, has returned as helmer for the new project, which is titled War for the Planet of the Apes. Mark Bomback also is back as screenwriter and Chernin Entertainment as the producer. Dylan Clark is also producing.

It is unclear who is returning to the new movie, which will continue the story of Caesar, the evolved ape who is brought to life via motion capture by Andy Serkis.

Plot details are being kept secret, but Harrelson will play a character called the Colonel.

It was recently reported that Gabriel Chavarria would play one of the new characters, but insiders say his part is small.

Harrelson is currently shooting LBJ, starring as President Lyndon B. Johnson, and will be back on the big screen in the final Hunger Games movie, which hits theaters on Nov. 20.

The actor is undergoing a resurgence thanks to the critical acclaim for his work on the first season of HBO’s True Detective.

Harrelson is repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham.

Steve Zahn Cast in Latest 'Planet of the Apes'

Steve Zahn has been cast as a new ape in Fox’s War for the Planet of the Apes.

Matt Reeves, who directed 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, has returned as helmer for the threequel, set to hit theaters on July 14, 2017. Mark Bomback is back as screenwriter, with Chernin Entertainment producing.

Zahn's performance will be realized using motion capture technology, which brought to life Andy Serkis' Caesar in the two earlier installments of the franchise.

The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Woody Harrelson has also been cast in the new Apes installment.

Zahn is known for his roles in That Thing You Do, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Dallas Buyers Club.

He can next be seen acting alongside Danny Trejo and Adam Sandler in The Ridiculous 6, which is currently in post-production. He can also be heard in Pixar's upcoming The Good Dinosaur, lending his voice to the prehistoric project.

The actor is repped by UTA, Principal Entertainment and Frank Stewart.

Judy Greer Returning to 'Planet of the Apes'

Judy Greer is set to return to the world of Fox’s Planet of the Apes.

The actress is set to return as Cornelia, the chimpanzee wife of apes leader Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes.

Andy Serkis is back to inhabit, via motion capture, Caesar, the evolved chimp leader, while Woody Harrelson is on board as the movie’s human villain. Karin Konoval, meanwhile, is back to play Maurice, the orangutan with a gentle soul.

Production began last week with Matt Reeves, who directed 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, back behind the camera.

Greer is coming off a summer in which she appeared in some of the most notable movies of the year, including Jurassic World, Ant-Man, Tomorrowland and Entourage. Apes will reteam her with Harrelson, with whom she just finished shooting Wilson, Fox Searchlight’s adaptation of a Dan Clowes graphic novel

She is repped by CAA, Principato-Young Entertainment, and Felker Toczek.

'War for the Planet of the Apes' to Debut First Look at New York Comic Con

The apes are going to war at New York Comic Con.

The first look for War for the Planet of the Apes, the third film in Fox's reboot series, will debut its first look Thursday from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Regal Ewalk Theater, the studio announced Friday.

Director/co-writer Matt Reeves, star Andy Serkis (Caesar) and producer Dylan Clark will be onhand for the panel, which will feature behind-the-scenes footage. If that's not enough to sate ape enthusiasts, on Friday Serkis will appear for a conversation at Madison Square Garden from 3– 4 p.m. to look at his work in the franchise, which began with 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and soared to new heights of critical and fan acclaim with 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Dawn left things in a dark place for human-ape relations, and we can definitely expect the third film to play off of that. The film sees Caesar and his followers in a deadly conflict with a human army under the leadership of a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson). Caesar and his apes suffer major losses, forcing the leader on a journey of revenge, leading to a major battle against the Colonel for the fate of their species.

"What we are hoping to do in this next story is to cement Caesar's position in Ape history. To make him a mythic character, almost like Moses," Reeves told Heat Vision back in 2014 of his plans for the third installment. "It's going to press into some very painful emotional places for him."

War for the Planet of the Apes hits theaters July 14, 2017. In addition to Serkis and Harrelson, it stars Steve Zahn, Terry Notary and Karin Konoval.