One of my earliest memories is watching the original Planet of the Apes with my dad.
Therefore, those movies have a nostalgic place in my heart. When Tim Burton and Mark Wahlberg attempted to resurrect the film franchise in 2001, I was gladdened—until I went to the movie theater. It was not what I was hoping for. Not even close. And while the movie was most definitely a Tim Burton film, he really didn’t get the feel or tone of those earlier movies.
Fast forward ten years. Twentieth Century Fox is trying to once again launch the franchise, this time creating a prequel set in 2029, starring James Franco, Andy Serkis, Brian Cox and John Lithgow. Here is the newest trailer:
I have to say, I think they might have nailed it. True, trailers can be quite misleading, but I have high hopes for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It’s a franchise steeped in Hollywood history and it deserves better than it got in 2001.
Can Franco and company pull it off? We’ll have to see!
What do you think? Excited? Or already thinking, “Meh.”
