20th Century Fox has announced that the much anticipated “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” sequel will be titled “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and it will hit cinemas on Memorial Day May 23rd, 2014.

So we’ve basically got exactly two years to wait until we see the aftermath of the virus spreading and the war with the apes that was hinted at during the climax of last year’s film. Speaking of which I wanted the sequel title to be ‘War For The Planet of the Apes” but I have no problem with what Fox have come up with.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” grossed almost $500 million worldwide on a budget of just under $100 million last summer. It was a surprise critical and commercial success, rejuvenating life in a dead franchise and opening up the universe for what several more movies if they can keep the intrigue level strong.

Brit helmer Rupert Wyatt will once again direct, however writers Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa will be getting help on the screenplay from Scott Z. Burns. That’s smart as Burns just recently wrote “Contagion”, a superb contemporary & realistic virus thriller that will serve this sequel well with the follow-up story they have hinted at.

Andy Serkis will return to motion-capture the ape Caesar although there’s uncertainty over whether James Franco and Freida Pinto would return. We imagine they probably will when all is said and done.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” will open one week before Marvel Studios’ still unannounced feature and also Disney/Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur”.

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