Now this is a shame. Few blockbusters have managed to fly under the radar of people's expectations and deliver quite as much as Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes did last year. Not only did the movie resurrect the franchise, but it was an interesting, intelligent blockbuster, with much to like about it.
Given that it also performed well commercially, Fox is keen to continue the franchise, and it's already announced a release date for its follow-up, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes. The problem is, it might just have lost its director as a result of that date.
Rupert Wyatt was set to return to direct the new movie, but according to a new report, he's now passed on the chance to do so. The reason is reportedly the tight schedule that the new film is now on, to hit its May 23rd 2014 release date.
If true, this is a massive blow, although we'd imagine that Fox would prefer to bring in a new director than delay one of its tentpole movies of summer 2014. That date is still 20 months away, so it's more than likely a film can and will be turned around in that time. But it's a real shame that Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes may not see Wyatt behind the camera once more, to continue the story. After all, a good chunk of the credit for Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is owed to him.
More on this as we get it.
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