“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” director Matt Shakman is set to direct a new “Planet of the Apes” movie at 20th Century Studios, TheWrap has learned.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” writer Josh Friedman will write the script. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
According to Deadline, which first reported the news, “this will not be a continuation of the most recent pic ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ but a new original story that Shakman and Friedman are developing.”
Shakman will also produce the project, along with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.
In his review of the last film, TheWrap’s Matt Goldberg wrote: “Wes Ball’s ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ is a continuation of the story that began with 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” but it completely abandons the tradition that made the series so distinctive and interesting. Instead, Ball’s movie — intended as the start of a new story arc featuring new characters — is the typical bloated and bland franchise fodder that can only come out of a Hollywood that relishes IP as far as its name and no further.”
More to come…