Another Planet of the Apes film in the pipes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes grossed $453 million worldwide and was very well received across the board by critics, including this one – as I still call it the best film of the year so far.

So it probably comes as no surprise that a sequel is planned for the wildly popular movie, with the first actor already locked in.

Of course, director Rupert Wyatt has been locked in since the first film due to a sequel clause in his original contract. However, he was the only one with such a stipulation, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it, simply because the script kills almost all the characters at the end of Rise.

Unsurprisingly, the actor who already has a deal is none other tahn Andy Serkis, the talented mo-cap actor for Caesar.

It may seem like a small thing on the outside, but the personification of Caesar was an essential part of the excellence of the first film.

While the studio could theoretically put anyone in the mo-cap suit and still have Caesar look identical, we’d all notice if they did it without Serkis.

Remember, Serkis also famously portrayed Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, and plays Captain Haddock in the upcoming The Adventures of Tintin.

In addition, according to Deadline, 20th Century Fox will be seeking to award Serkis with an Oscar for his  epic performance, which would mark the first time a CGI mo-cap actor has been nominated for the award.

The upcoming film has no announced title, and no set production or release dates.