Scott Z. Burns is plotting the global domination of the primates.
The “Contagion” scribe has been hired to write the sequel to last year’s hit reboot “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” joining original director Rupert Wyatt and returning star Andy Serkis for the project. He takes over for Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa, the writing team that penned the first movie and also reportedly wrote an earlier draft for the follow-up.
Though plot details are scarce for obvious reasons, the second installment will depict the continued ascent of the apes over their human counterparts.
The first film took in over $480 million worldwide on a $93 million budget and scored an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects.
Burns’ previous credits also include Steven Soderbergh’s “The Informant!” and “The Bourne Ultimatum,” both of which starred Matt Damon. He’s currently working with Soderbergh on his next directorial effort, “The Bitter Pill.”
The Hollywood Reporter broke the story.
Are you glad Fox has brought Burns on board for the sequel, or would you rather the studio had stuck with the writing team that made the first movie such a success? Sound off in the comments!