Directors Turn Down "Planet of the Apes" Reboot

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

Kathryn Bigelow, Robert Rodriguez and Tomas Alfredson have all apparently declined offers to direct Fox's "Caesar," their proposed upcoming reboot of the "Planet of the Apes" franchise, reports Vulture.

According to Vulture: The prequel to "Planet of the Ape"s continues to evolve at Twentieth Century Fox. Insiders say that producer Peter Chernin has been having trouble interesting the top tier of directors in swinging aboard: He has had discussions with Kathryn Bigelow, Robert Rodriguez and Tomas Alfredson, but all of them have declined.

But Chernin and Fox are so intent on making this movie that they’re progressing right down to the next level of meat-and-potatoes action directors: Albert and Allen Hughes ("The Book of Eli"); Pierre Morel ("Taken"); James McTeigue ("Ninja Assassin"); Dennis Illiadis ("The Last House on the Left"), and Scott Stewart ("Legion").

It’s never good when directors pass on your project. But to be honest, after making a film like “The Hurt Locker,” did the studio really think Bigelow would take on “Planet of the Apes”? It just doesn’t make sense, and clearly Bigelow agreed.

Rodriguez would have been an interesting choice, but he is busy producing the “Predators” remake and he didn’t want to get behind another franchise reboot.

Although the film is being shopped to “lower level” directors, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. For example, Morel was the director of “Taken,” which in my opinion was a great action movie. Sure, he didn’t do anything revolutionary with the genre, but it was entertaining, it kept me watching and it was a solid movie. A franchise in his hands could possibly turn out to be something great.

Only time will tell on who will take on “Caesar,” but as of now we know it won’t not be a Bigelow.