James Franco Set To Star In ‘Planet of the Apes’ Prequel

(HMG) -  James Franco has been chosen to star in a forthcoming Planet of the Apes’ prequel playing a young scientist.   20th Century Fox say the new film will be called ‘Rise of the Apes,’ and Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning Wetta Digital will create photo-realistic apes as the co-stars, instead of using live actors in suits.

Fox has tapped Rupert Wyatt as the movie’s director. Shooting will begin in July, with a release date of June 4th, 2011. Here’s the story outline:

“Rise of the Apes is an origins story, set in present-day San Francisco. The film is a reality-based cautionary tale, where man’s experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.”

Source: Deadline