WETA Reveals Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Caesar

Steve Barton |

Apr 11, 2011

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes on Facebook

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http://www.facebook.com/apeswillrise

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One of the mostly highly anticipated movies of the blockbuster season this year is Rise of the Planet of the Apes directed by Rupert Wyatt and starring James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo and Andy Serkis as ape prime himself, Caesar.

Buzz has been growing for the second entry in the rebooted Apes series, and on April 13th (this Wednesday) we will finally get a look at the creation of Caesar – a completely photo realistic ape and pivotal role in the film.

The event will be taking place on the official Avatar Facebook page (which seems odd until you realize that it currently has 14.2 million fans following) on April 13th (this Wednesday) at 2:30 PM PDT.

WETA will be revealing the work that went into transitioning from its Academy Award-winning work on Avatar to the challenges presented in created a photo-realistic cg character, interacting in the real world, in a very serious and emotional way. The film is set in modern-day San Francisco – and will play witness to some epic battles on which rest the upended destinies of man and primate.

It’s fair to say that the success of this film will hinge on whether audiences can believe in Caesar as a real character. Hiring, arguably, the best motion-capture actor out there (Andy Serkis) is a huge step in that direction. The rest will fall squarely on the shoulders of WETA. However, with the work they have done on Avatar, Lord of the Rings and District 9, the folks at WETA have shown they are up to some herculian tasks.

You can check out a five-second preview of WETA’s work on the Rise of the Planet of the Apes below. Once done, head over to the Avatar page on April 13th at 2:30 PM PDT to see if WETA and director Rupert Wyatt can deliver the goods.

Wyatt is directing from a script by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa. Look for Rise of the Planet of the Apes in theatres on August 5th, 2011.

Synopsis
A single act of both compassion and arrogance leads to a war unlike any other — and to the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. The Oscar-winning visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of Avatar and Lord of the Rings is breaking new ground, creating a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence, and epic battles on which rest the upended destinies of man and primate.

WETA Reveals Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Caesar