We’ve been promised
apes on horses and a fierce standoff between simian and human survivors in Matt Reeves' upcoming
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. A trailer for the film has arrived, revealing what the world looks like a decade after a deadly virus was unleashed, as seen in
Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Andy Serkis’ Caesar leads the genetically evolved apes in the revolution against humanity — now a threat in the form of a group setting up a colony in deserted San Francisco (Gary Oldman — playing a human survivor advocate that abhors the simians — Jason Clarke and Keri Russell). The apes maintain control over Muir Woods along the Pacific Coast, but their peace is short-lived as conflict edges them closer to total war in the fight to become Earth’s dominant species. But Caesar struggles with his own conflict regarding the humans — an internal battle, as the simian was raised by James Franco’s Dr. Will Rodman, his human father figure for nearly a decade.
The first film was a loose adaptation of
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and the new trailer proves
Dawn will be closer to
Battle for the Planet of the Apes — the fifth and final entry in the 1970s series. Roddy McDowall played Caesar in that film. The trailer suggests that
Dawn will give as much screen time, if not more, to the apes (
Rise relied heavily on its human cast), which could prove difficult for some audiences to connect with, but Reeves has continually
reinforced his dedication to bringing the hybrid creatures to life and capturing the emotional subtleties of their plight.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes arrives in theaters on July 11.
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