<P> Producers Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark started planning the film eventually titled Dawn of the Planet of the Apes just after Rise's release in 2011 . Fox allocated a budget of $170 million . Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver returned to pen the script and produce, and the studio quickly signed Andy Serkis to reprise his role as Caesar . Director Rupert Wyatt withdrew from the project due to production and scheduling issues, and was replaced by Matt Reeves . </P> <P> Set ten years after Rise, the film establishes that the "simian flu" that increased the intelligence of the apes has killed most humans . Caesar struggles to maintain peace as his ape community is drawn into violent clashes with nearby human survivors . Weta Digital again provided special effects work, which combined practical sets, digitally manipulated backgrounds, and performance capture ape characters . The lead human characters were played by Jason Clarke, as Malcolm; Keri Russell, as Ellie; and Gary Oldman, as Dreyfus . Released on July 11, 2014, the film was very well received by critics, who found it a strong follow - up to Rise and lauded the combination of an engaging script with impressive special effects . It also performed very strongly at the box office, taking in $707 million in worldwide grosses . Its special effects received several honors, including three Visual Effects Society Awards and an Oscar nomination at the 87th Academy Awards . </P> <P> Fox was confident enough in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes that the studio started planning for the next installment months before the film debuted . After Fox and Chernin Entertainment screened Matt Reeves' cut of Dawn, he was contracted to return as director; he also wrote the script with Mark Bomback . Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver again served as producers . Given a $150 million budget, War for the Planet of the Apes was released on July 14, 2017 . </P> <P> The film depicts the apes and humans in armed conflict, and follows Caesar and his followers as they track down the mysterious Colonel, a human paramilitary leader, and search for a new home . Serkis returned as Caesar, Woody Harrelson played the villainous Colonel, and Steve Zahn played Bad Ape . It earned widespread critical acclaim; reviewers praised the effects and narrative, and found the film a fitting conclusion to Caesar's story . It earned $491 million around the globe . In October 2016, it was reported that a fourth movie in the new series was being discussed . </P>

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