Tag: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

The Next ‘Planet Of The Apes’ Film Has Been Pushed To 2017

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: So we still don’t know anything about Matt Reeves’ follow-up to last year’s fantastic Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (including its title), but we now know that we really won’t be seeing it any time soon.

The sequel was original slated for Summer of 2016, but FOX today pushed the title an entire year, to July 17th, 2014.

Dang.

Are you looking forward to the sequel? What did you think of Dawn? Sound out below!

Geekscape Movie Reviews: The Gambler (2014)

by MCDave

Many aspects of life operate in cycles and Hollywood is no exception. The latest Tinseltown remake comes from Rise of the Planet of the Apes director, Rupert Wyatt, who teams up with Mark Wahlberg in the slightly re-imagined version of 1974’s The Gambler. When Paramount originally announced the remake in the summer of 2011, it was believed that visionary Martin Scorcese and his loyal leading star, Leonardo DiCaprio, were in line take on the project. But after viewing Wyatt’s unnecessary adaptation, I’m left to ponder what could have been.

Jim Bennett (Wahlberg) is a high stakes gambler who falls further and further into debt in an underground casino ring with his risky and careless betting habits. But after the self-destructive English professor borrows from a second loan shark and offers his life as collateral, his addiction continues to place him on a very dangerous path. And in Jim’s mind, his only way out of this mess is to go all-in one final time.

gambler1

For a brief moment before the film had ever been screened, some insiders gave The Gambler an outside chance at making an awards season splash. However, Rupert Wyatt’s effort is far from Oscar contention. Boasting a constrained and soulless script that’s drowned in timely cynicism and betting cliches, you can only watch a blackjack dealer flip over cards for so long before you start tuning out, and that limit is reached very early on. Simply put, The Gambler would rather show its protagonist losing than have the audience experience the feeling through a clever and well-crafted character-driven screenplay. As for the film’s leading star, Wahlberg’s performance is by no means a burden to the overall product, but he isn’t a bright spot either. Unlike the 1974 original where James Caan delivers a character that viewers can connect with, it’s difficult to tell whether Jim Bennett’s lack of allure is a product of Wahlberg’s acting, or the result of poor writing and development on the part of Academy Award winning screenwriter William Monahan. Odds are, it’s a combination of both.

gambler2

Thankfully, though, The Gambler offers a saving grace with its long list of exceptional supporting roles from John Goodman, Brie Larson and Jessica Lange. Each do their part to successfully transition Bennett’s collapse from scene to scene, and some of the film’s finest moments occur when John Goodman takes command of the screen. In fact, the movie would have been much better served opening the door a little wider for these vastly under-utilized characters. Brie Larson is such an emerging talent in Hollywood and, unfortunately, she isn’t given the proper platform to work with in the film.

No matter how hard Rupert and his team attempt to offer a slick and cool tale of underground gambling, the final product fails to resonate. The Gambler‘s biggest detractor is an unlikable protagonist who becomes impossible to connect with for a multitude of reasons. For example, if you’re trying to sell a story about an unlikely gambling addict, you should make the character significantly more endearing and vulnerable. Instead, all we’re given are Wahlberg’s frequent “woe-is-me” rants followed by a careless and unforgiving attitude that repels the audience almost immediately. There’s no rooting interest here, so I suggest spending your time elsewhere.

GRADE: 2.5/5

Check out tuns of other fun write-ups at MCDAVE’s Host Site

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

by MCDave

Following a well-received origin story that turned into a worldwide box office smash grossing just shy of $500 million, it was a no-brainer to expect a sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Yet, rather than immediately churning out a rushed and thoughtless continuation, the studio handled things perfectly by assembling a whole new team and taking the necessary time to get the project done right. Consequently, director Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stands tall as one of the summer blockbuster season’s finest films.

A decade after a deadly virus first spread and super intelligent apes escaped into the forest, the human population has become scarce and their ability to survive hinges on a broken down dam miles from civilization. A team of explorers venture deep into the barren wilderness and stumble upon hordes of advanced chimps lead by Casear. Malcolm (Jason Clarke) explains their desperation and Caesar gives the humans permission to occupy the land and fix up the dam. However, co-existence between apes and humans becomes more difficult than either species could have ever imagined.

dawn1

Similar to its predecessor, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes decides to hook its viewers by establishing an instant connection with Caesar and the rest of the primate colony. Yet, director Matt Reeves and his team of writers deserve an abundance of credit for their exemplary job at building a bond from the film’s opening sequence. From there a cleverly constructed story combining subplots of greed, jealousy and revenge take the wheel and steer the film to an action-packed and equally dramatic finale. Supported by sound performances from rising star Jason Clarke and amazing CGI work based on the movements and expressions of the under-appreciated artist Andy Serkis, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes swings past the first film and represents a class of its own.

dawn2

Despite my affection for the latest installment to the storied franchise of films, there were a few concerning aspects. One such area is the long-winded and action obsessed third act that I usually find troubling during the blockbuster season. However, a brilliant foundation and captivating story helps to soften the blows. Furthermore, images of apes wielding machine guns and riding on horseback to a brutal ambush seemed a little overboard to me. But once again, I felt compelled to overlook these minor annoyances thanks to a fundamentally strong creation from Matt Reeves and his team.

Although I felt as though Dawn of the Planet of the Apes begins wonderfully and slowly weakens throughout, the end result was still a fine piece of work that transcends the prototypical summer blockbuster. Don’t be fooled into believing that the feature is a revolutionary masterpiece, but find solace in accepting the film for what it is … an entertaining and well-executed final product. I enjoyed the story, found the acting to be believable and embraced the ride. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.

GRADE: 4/5

You can catch other work from MCDAVE at his host site

‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Gets Three Fantastic Prequel Shorts

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We’re just ten days away from the highly-anticipated release of Fox’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Fox and Motherboard have teamed up to release a fantastic series of tie-in prequels for the film.

There’s a ten year gap between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and each of the three short films depicts what the world is going through at a particular time. It’s really a great way to bridge the gap between the two films, and they certainly help to get me even more excited for Dawn.

Take a look at the shorts below, and let us know what you think.

Amidst a widespread viral outbreak known as the ‘Simian Flu,’ a mother is quarantined after testing positive for the virus, leaving her husband and daughter to fend for themselves.

Five years after the Simian Flu all but wiped out humanity, an orphaned teenage girl survives by bartering things she has stolen from dead people’s homes.

The journey of a shotgun through the hands of several ill-fated owners as the ‘Simian Flu’ ravages the world around them.

Motherboard will also debut a documentary tomorrow, in which the crew goes to Liberia to discover ‘Monkey Island,’ a place solely inhabited by former lab tested chimpanzees. They talk to the fearful locals and meet the scientists involved in the testing facility 25 years ago. Take a look at the trailer below.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th.

New ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Featurette Shows Off More Insane Motion Capture!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We saw the haunting final trailer for the film just a few days back, and now Fox has debuted an amazing look into the film’s groundbreaking special effects.

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

We can’t wait for this one. How about you? Check out the insane video below, and let us know what you think! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th!

Watch The Haunting Final Trailer For ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: The final trailer for next month’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has just hit the web, and it’s definitely a haunting one.

The video digs far deeper into the Caesar / Malcolm relationship than we’ve seen thus far, and shows us more footage of the apes just wanting to be peaceful (and the humans expectedly messing it up). The trailer is mostly new footage, and there are some spoiler-y moments here, so if you’re trying to keep things a surprise, I’d avoid this one. Otherwise, it’s awesome.

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

I can’t wait for this one. How about you? Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th!

‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Gets A Fantastic New Poster!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We’re beyond excited for Matt Reeve’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and today (via IGN) Fox debuted the film’s best poster yet.

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

You can take a look at the new poster below, and let us know if you’re excited! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th. Need to see that awesome trailer again? Take a look here.

DawnPosterNew

Watch Some Amazing Performance Capture Footage From ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This is just too cool.

TotalFilm has debuted some amazing performance capture footage for Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The clip features most of the film’s most prominent apes, as well as the performances of the actual actors involved. It’s absolutely mind-blowing footage, and I really, really can’t wait to see more.

Take a look at the clip below, and let us know what you think! Are you excited for the sequel? Sound out below!

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species. Andy Serkis, celebrated for his performance in the last film, reprises his role as Caesar. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes also stars Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty, Public Enemies, The Great Gatsby), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises, The Harry Potter film series), Keri Russell (The Americans, Mission Impossible III), Toby Kebbell (The Prince of Persia, Wrath of the Titans, Rock N Rolla), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In, ParaNorman), Enrique Murciano (Traffic, Black Hawk Down), Kirk Acevedo (The Thin Red Line) and Judy Greer (The Descendants, Three Kings, 13 Going on 30).

Here’s The ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Theatrical Trailer!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Following the new stills from a few weeks back, Fox has just debuted the theatrical trailer for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

The new preview digs deep into the film’s plot, outlining the touching relationship between Caesar and Jason Clarke’s Malcolm. It also outlines how that relationship is doomed to fail… because we’re humans, mostly.

As a huge fan of 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I’m immensely looking forward to this one. Take a look at the trailer below, and let us know what you think. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th.

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

Check Out Seven New Images From ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Following the film’s first TV spot from just over a week ago, Fox has debuted seven new stills from this Summer’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

The stills take us to both sides of the conflict, and we get a good look at many of our human actors, as well as some photorealistic apes holding shotguns (ouch).

Take a look at the stills below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the film. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th!

Dawn7

Dawn6

Dawn5

Dawn4

Dawn3

Dawn1

Dawk2

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

Source: USA Today

The First ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ TV Spot Is Damned Epic!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This is one sequel that we can’t freaking wait for.

20th Century Fox today debuted the first TV spot for this Summer’s highly anticipated Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (if you missed it, you can check out the first trailer here).

The spot is an epic, thought provoking look at the advantages that an army of apes would have over us humans, and it certainly leaves us wanting more footage (which we’ll hopefully see very soon).

Take a look at the spot below, and let us know if you’re excited. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on July 11th!

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Gets Four New Posters

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: 20th Century Fox today debuted four new character posters for next year’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

The posters feature some of the film’s more prominent apes (I’m guessing), who all look like they’re beyond pissed-off at something (probably humans… we’re kind of dicks).

Fox has also announced that the first trailer for the film will hit the web next Wednesday, December 16th at 6:00am.

Take a look at the new posters below, and let us know what you think! Be sure to check back next Wednesday for the film’s first trailer!

Apes1

Apes2

Apes3

Apes4

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

First Still Released From ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

We’ve already seen set photos, but Dawn of the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves has just given us our first official look at the film.

The image is fairly revealing, showing us just how far along the apes have come since we last saw them. A pre-CGI Caesar (and another ape in the background) are seen on horseback, towering far above Jason Clarke and the other humans.

Take a look at the image below, and let us know if you’re looking forward to the film! Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theatres on May 23rd, 2014!

In ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, a growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

First ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Set Photos Released!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Is anyone else unbelievably excited for this?

For me, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was one of the biggest surprises of 2011. The movie was awesome, and far surpassed my (high) expectations for it.

Its sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is now in production in the forested land of Vancouver. Dawn is set 15 years after the events of Rise, so it’ll be very interesting to see just what this world has turned into. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stars Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Judy Greer, and more.

Check out the photos below, and let us know what you think!

Dawn1

Dawn2

Dawn3

Dawn4

Dawn5

Dawn6

Dawn7

Dawn8

Dawn9

Dawn10

Source: TheDailyMail

Jason Clarke Signs On For Lead Role In ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Shawn Madden

Actor Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) has signed on for the lead role in 20th Century Fox’s Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. While there are not details regarding just what his role will be, there are some first plot details regarding The Matt Reeves directed sequel to 2011’s Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes.

 

The film will be set 15 years after the events of  Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes and will focus on the group of human scientists who are struggling to survive alone in San Francisco as well as the struggle of intelligent ape Caesar to maintain dominance over his kingdom.

 

apes

 

The script for the film is currently being written by Mark Bomback (Total Recall, The Wolverine), with Peter Chernin, Dylan Clarke, Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa on board to produce.

 

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is set to hit theaters May 23rd, 2014.

 

Source: THR

Guillermo Del Toro & Rian Johnson On Fox’s List Of Directors For ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Shawn Madden

Last week it was revealed that Rupert Wyatt had stepped down as director of the upcoming sequel to Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. Now 20th Century Fox has come up with a short list of directors to replace Wyatt for the upcoming sequel, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes.

Deadline have revealed that the directors on the list consist of Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), J Blakeson (The Disappearance Of Alice Creed), Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later0, Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage), Jeff Nichols (Mud) and the final two names that are sure to excite a lot of people. Also on the list are Guillermo del Toro, who we don’t need to tell you what he’s done because you already know, and Rian Johnson (Looper).

Apparently Reeves is currently on the top of the list having stepped away earlier today from Warner Bros. planned remake of The Twilight Zone citing schedule conflicts. Could this mean that the director has chosen to take on Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes instead? It’s quite possible. Expect an announcement very soon.

Rupert Wyatt Not Returning To Direct ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’

by Shawn Madden

In a very disappointing turn of events, the director behind the critically acclaimed Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Rupert Wyatt has chosen not to return to direct the sequel. It appears the director has chosen to not return for the highly-anticipated sequel titled Dawn Of The Planet of the Apes due to not wanting to rush out the film for  20th Century Fox’s May 23rd, 2014 release date. A very similar reason to Gary Ross’s choice to not return to direct The Hunger Games sequel. Fox has not commented yet but an announcement should probably be expected soon. So, who do you guys think can fill Wyatt’s role for the sequel?

Source: Deadline

‘Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Screenwriters Hired For ‘JURASSIC PARK 4’

by Shawn Madden

Well, it looks like we will be getting that fourth ‘Jurassic Park’ that has been talked about for years. Deadline is reporting that Universal is setting Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver to write the script for the fourth film. Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy will be producing the film but Spielberg will not be directing this one.

Will we get robotic dinosaurs or cgi? Will it be yet another island they forgot about? Will we get any of the original cast? Just sayin’…Jeff Goldblum please.

I don’t have those answers. What I do know is that Universal is re-releasing the original film in 3D on July 19, 2013. Anybody hear that? It’s a, um… It’s an impact tremor, that’s what it is… I’m fairly alarmed here.

FOX Sets Release Dates For ‘X-Men: First Class’ And ‘Planet Of The Apes’ Sequels

by Shawn Madden

Amongst others Fox has set release dates for sequels to ‘X-Men: First Class’ and ‘Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’.

First up we have on Memorial Day (May 23, 2014), Fox unleashes ‘Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ The sequel to the $483 million grossing ‘Rise Of The Planet Apes’ Rupert Wyatt will be returning to direct. Andy Serkis has been confirmed to be returning as Caesar.

On July 18, 2014 we will see the release of the currently untitled sequel to the highly acclaimed and successful ‘X-Men: First Class’. Matthew Vaughn will return to direct and Bryan Singer will return to produce. Most of the cast has been confirmed as returning. Vaughn has previously stated about the sequel that “First Class is similar to ‘Batman Begins’ where you have the fun of introducing the characters and getting to know them, but that takes time. But with the second one, you can just get on with it and have a rollicking good time. That’s the main difference between ‘Batman Begins’ and ‘The Dark Knight'”

Also on what new characters to expect “We will only have one more new character. I won’t say who he… I won’t say who he or she is! But we will only be bringing one more new character in, because, I think, as Professor X is in a wheelchair, Magneto needs to have a nemesis he can fight with. Someone that will be his equal. I know who it is. It would be nice if I could say something, but I can’t, mate!”

Other announced releases:

‘Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters’ will hit theaters August 16, 2013.

‘Robopocalypse’ will be released April 25, 2014.

And finally… after the success of ‘Titanic 3D’ Fox has decided to re-release ‘Independence Day’ in 3D on July 3, 2013

Source: Deadline

Twentieth Century Fox Teases Fans At Cinemacon 2012

by Eric Diaz

For years, Twentieth Century Fox has been the studio fanboys love to hate; from slowly killing the Alien franchise with bad sequel after bad sequel, to their treatment of their Marvel properties, let’s just say that Fox chairman Tom Rothman has a bad reputation with the geek crowd. But last summer that started to change, when both X-Men First Class and Rise of the Planet of the Apes actually ended up being….really good. And now Prometheus looks to be a legitimate sci fi movie and not just another cheap cash in like AVP. Has Rothman seen the light? In any event, people are excited about Fox genre fare for the first time in a long time. At this year’s Cinemacon in Las Vegas, several websites got the chance to quiz Rothman on several genre movies, and here are some of the tidbits that they got:

According to MTV News, who spoke to Rothman, the sequel to X-Men: First Class will begin shooting early next year; “We’re going to start shooting January 2013 for a release date of either Christmas 2013, or Summer 2014, The script is in development now. Matt, Simon Kinberg and Jane Goldman are working on it now.” In other mutant news, The Wolverine is still set in Japan and based on the famous Chris Claremont/Frank Miller mini series from the 80’s. Studio work is going to be done in Australia, but location shooting is going to be in Japan. Rothman admits to the mistakes on the last Wolverine movie, and indicates that they’re “listening to the fans” this time.  “I can just tell you on behalf of (Hugh Jackman) his goal is to make the ultimate, bad ass, berserker rage Wolverine” Also, it looks like the rumors of Chronicle director Josh Trank taking on the Fantastic Four reboot are true, as he has been brought in to develop the new FF movie: And speaking of Chronicle, that might be getting a sequel too, although Rothman said they “won’t just make a sequel to make one; the story needs to be there, one that maintains the honesty and integrity of the original.” 

In terms of the sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Rothman said (in speaking with Collider) “That’s very much on the tracks.  We’re developing a script.  Rupert Wyatt, who directed the first one, will direct the second one.  We’re pushing forward aggressively, so the script’s being written now… but the goal for us would be summer of 2014, if that’s possible.

And finally, for those excited about the fifth Die Hard movie, A Good Day to Die Hard, here’s what Rothman  had to say about this one: “John McClane, the ultimate American hero, goes to Russia.  So talk about a fish out of water, he’s completely out of water….It’s really a father-son story, which is that John McClane’s been a great cop his whole life but he’s been a pretty lousy father.  He has a grown son who he’s not really been in much touch with, and McClane thinks the son’s a fuck up—that’s a technical term. So he goes to Russia, he thinks, to bail his son out of jail, and it turns out the son’s not a fuck up, he’s the antithesis of that.  In fact, the apple has not fallen far from the tree, the apple has not fallen from the tree, which is that the son is a badder ass John McClane than John McClane.” Sounds to me like they are setting up Willis free Die Hard 6 with Jr. McClane.