Steve Zahn, best known for roles in Dallas Buyers Club, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and soon to be The Good Dinosaur, has joined the ranks for Fox’s grand threequel, War of the Planet of the Apes.
He’ll join the cast as one of the lead simians, according to The Wrap, who occupy the top of the food chain under the rule of Andy Serkis’ messianic Caesar. It’s a role that will likely involve performance capture on Zahn’s part, and given how adept Fox has become in rendering the title apes in a naturalistic, eerily believable way, we’re excited to see how the actor tackles the role.
Up until now, War of the Planet of the Apes has been making waves for its human additions, now that Fox has secured both Gabriel Chavarria and Woody Harrelson for the blockbuster sequel. In terms of the latter actor, Harrelson will take point as the film’s overarching human baddie, a militaristic figure simply known as The Colonel at this early stage.
Nevertheless, Fox’s rebooted Apes series has really revolved around Serkis’ aforementioned primate leader. From a caged research experiment to a bona fide ruler, Caesar’s arc has formed the spine of the studio’s box office juggernaut, and while all involved are refusing to refer to War as the final installment, we’re expecting a more conclusive tale in two years’ time. Whether it’s enough to top the barnstorming success of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – itself pulling in a staggering $700 million worldwide – is another question entirely.
War of the Planet of the Apes is on course for a release on July 14, 2017, and Matt Reeves will return in the director’s chair.