Directing the sequel to the films of the 2010s and the prequel to the 1968 film is the challenge that Wes Ball takes on in Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom which renews the saga. This tenth opus taken from the novel by Pierre Boulle published in 1963, allows the director of Labyrinth to renew the workforce while keeping the character that has ensured the success of this universe for six decades.
“The saga of The Planet of the Apes propose intelligent blockbusters, satisfying for people who want to think. That’s why it has attracted audiences so much for years,” Wes Ball explains to 20 minutes. This new opus, which could be the first in a new trilogy, is no exception to the rule by multiplying new characters around an impressive leader and a young free human.
More and more credible monkeys
“When I was a kid and I discovered the film of Franklin J. Schaffner in the 1980s, I was fascinated by the richness of this universe without fully understanding its philosophical significance, remembers Wes Ball. It had such a profound impact on me with its aesthetic singularity that I understand why it still appeals so much. » Owen Teague, Wes Durand and Freya Allan took over from Charlton Heston and Andy Serkis, well known to fans of the saga.
“It’s a very precise balance to find your place between familiar elements and the new generation: you have a bit of the impression of serving two masters at the same time but this is how we manage to ensure the sustainability of these stories,” insists Wes Ball. Andy Serkis, who played Caesar, the rebellious monkey in the 2010s films by Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves, understood this idea well. He came to lend a “strong hand” to newcomers by focusing on the script and helping the actors become credible primates.
Ever more special effects
“Andy is a specialist in motion capture and his expertise was invaluable in making the performers do more than just play monkeys, making them feel like real primates. » The growing quality of special effects also contributed greatly to the longevity of these adventures. “It was confusing to first shoot the film with actors in jumpsuits covered with dots, then reshoot it without them to have the heroes evolve in natural settings under a sun that allowed us no concealment,” insists Wes Ball. The director, however, refused to let himself be consumed by technique although according to his statements, there are only thirty shots in the film that are not special effects.
“At a time when it is fashionable to denigrate digital effects, we take the opposite view of this attitude because they serve to realize our story which is the most important”, insists Wes Ball. It is indeed the scenarios of the saga which have kept it in favor with the public by including Planet of the Apes: The New Kingdom.