James Franco has signed on to star in Rise of the Apes, the prequel to the Planet of the Apes franchise, according to multiple sources including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Franco will be playing a scientist who is testing a cure for Alzheimer’s on apes. When Caesar, one of his test subjects begins to evolve rapidly, the young scientist takes the ape home to protect him from further tests.
The story shows how this modern day event leads to the eventual ape revolution which is incited by Caesar. Though not much more of the plot is known, we do know that the apes will be computer generated by Peter Jackson’s WETA Digital.
Director Rupert Wyatt will be working from a script by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa. The 20th Century Fox film is scheduled to start shooting July 5 and is set for release June 24, 2011.