Regular readers of this blog will recall that I am a huge Planet of the Apes fan, as this essay and podcast indicate. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised with the results of the reboot in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Those who have seen this film will recall the ending that played out while the credits rolled as a simian flu-infected pilot dripped blood from his nose through an international airport, setting the stage for a worldwide pandemic. In this way Rise set the stage for a sequel, but my question was “Can lightening strike twice?” Could the filmmakers produce a sequel that would be as good as the first film, represent thought provoking science fiction, and also do justice to the Planet of the Apes franchise?
This quest still lingers for me, but some of the tidbits that have been released about Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is promising. This includes interviews and other material made available at Comic con, as well as the viral media campaign which has resulted in a public service announcement type of promotional that warns about “simian flu” (see below).
Time will tell whether Rise of the Planet of the Apes signals that the Apes franchise is reborn with more than a one hit wonder, but here’s to hoping.
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