Mendelson's Memos: Rise of the Conquest of the Battle of the Planet of the Apes part 6 gets a trailer.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rise of the Conquest of the Battle of the Planet of the Apes part 6 gets a trailer.

I'm not sure whether the world needs another Planet of the Apes film. Although I was sure that the Tim Burton 'reimaging' ten years ago was going to bomb for just that reason (had I not been a Tim Burton fan, I would have had NO interest). Instead, it opened with $69.5 million, the second biggest opening weekend of ever at that time, so there obviously is a mainstream interest in this universe. As for this new film, slotted to open at close to July 27th as Fox could muster (Cowboys and Aliens and The Smurfs open on July 29th), it looks like an artier variation on (I think?) Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, before it descends into I, Robot. James Franco is actually kind of terrible in this trailer, with overly arch delivery (Franco isn't usually someone accused of overacting), but this remains an interesting and surprisingly arty piece of marketing. It's good that Fox is, at the moment, selling atmosphere and set-up over nonstop action. Whether or not there remains a mainstream audience for yet another chance to monkey around will be determined on August 5th. Until then, as always, we'll see...

Scott Mendelson

3 comments:

R.L. Shaffer said...: Yeah, Franco was a little flat. I'm guessing this was an impromtu, quickly-cut trailer. I didn't even catch John Lithgow, and he's supposed to be a major player in the film. Seems like this is rough footage and outtakes culled together in something surprisingly impressive (thanks to WETA's great fx). If all goes well, this modestly budgeted thriller will play like Predators, Fox's sci-fi outing from last year. Seems they like to play in the sci-fi pool once or twice a year. In 2012 it'll be Prometheus.; April 15, 2011 at 12:20 AM
Xiexie said...: I'll see it, but not because of this trailer (though I think it had it's good moments which were those without Franco). I'll see it because I love the movies (and I am not counting Tim Burton's remake).; April 24, 2011 at 4:12 PM
Xiexie said...: I'll see it, but not because of this trailer (though I think it had it's good moments which were those without Franco). I'll see it because I love the movies (and I am not counting Tim Burton's remake).; May 13, 2011 at 10:42 AM