Given the success of **Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes **– one of the few bigger films not featuring giant robots to make decent money at the box office this year – it’s really no shock to learn that 20th Century Fox was going to consider a sequel. And now the company has put one of the biggest pieces in place, signing Caesar himself, Andy Serkis, to a new deal.
Though you might think that the likes of James Franco and Freida Pinto would be top of the list, Serkis is much more important than any of his co-stars, as his work as Caesar was so vital to the movie. Plus, given the way the story ended (spoiler alert: the apes rose up!), there’s much more scope for following his adventures without worrying about the humans from the first film.Oh, and Fox is also reportedly working up a campaign to get him a well-deserved Oscar for his work. Can he overcome the mocap barrier? We could see a nomination, though we doubt he'd win...
Serkis was one of the bigger players on the movie whose contract didn’t feature a sequel option, so Fox has stumped up a healthy amount to secure his services. Director Rupert Wyatt, on the other hand, did have such a clause in his deal, so if he chooses to return, he’ll be paid in Post-It Notes with dollar signs scribbled on them. Okay, he’ll get real money – and it’ll likely be a decent amount.
Nothing else has apparently been set in motion, though writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are also signed for another outing. We’re guessing this one will come together as quickly as the studio can get things moving. Serkis will be a bit busy for a while yet, though – despite having finished the acting side of his job on The Hobbit, he’s branched out into second unit directing and has been helping Peter Jackson get the thing made…