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Rarely does a film with a big box office number not get a sequel. Such is the 2001 reboot,Planet of the Apes,which grossed $180 million worldwide, the second-highest in the franchise, but still is regarded as a failure. It took another decade for a sequel to surface in 2011, withRise of the Planet of the Apes.This was primarily because Tim Burton tried to reimagine the franchise, and not simply offer the fans a sequel. Even though the film opened big, it didn’t pan out well as fans were utterly displeased with the plot.
Regardless, the star-studded cast was a treat for fans. It starred Mark Wahlberg, Paul Giamatti, and Helena Bonham Carter, among others. Interestingly, Giamatti was particular about not being cast as a human, but rather an ape. Therefore, despite an absurd revelation by Tim Burton, Giamatti didn’t mind donning the ape suit. In fact, the actor narrated it as a funny story in a recent interview.
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Paul Giamatti would rather be an ape
Marking himself as a big fan of thePlanet of the Apesfranchise, whose first installment came in the late 1960s,Paul Giamattiwas thrilled after he was approached for a part by directorTim Burton. The actor hilariously noted that his looks probably inspired Burton to portray an ape, and Giamatti was all in for it.
The 56-year-old actor played Limbo, a shrewd orangutan who traded human slaves. Breaking down his characters at GQ’s ‘Iconic Characters’ interview series, the Golden Globe winner unraveled minutes about his myriad of portrayals, fromSidewaystoBig Fat Liar.
Therefore, recalling his stint as Limbo inPlanet of the Apes, Giamatti toldGQ,
“I was obsessed with the ‘Planet of the Apes’ movies as a kid. And so the notion that I could be in one of those was mind-blowing to me. I didn’t audition for that. Tim Burton came to me with that, ’cause I guess he was like, ‘You look like a monkey, so I’ll have you do this.’ It was one of the funnest things I’ve ever done…I was covered head to toe, shoulders in a fat suit,and my feet”
That was not it. The actor even threatened his agents, who felt theCinderellaManstar must play a human instead, to let him continue playing the ape. He even admired his make-up artist Bill Corso, who was swift and steady, finishing the complex suit-up in less than 3 hours whereas others’ took over 4 hours.
Also Read:“Not confident in this one”: Fans Expecting Andy Serkis in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes are in for a Rude Awakening
Why did 2001’sPlanet of the Apesfail?
After 1973’sBattle for the Planet of the Apes,Burton’s version was much-anticipated. ThePlanet of the Apesfranchise has a rather massive fanbase, spanning over generations. Unfortunately, the 65-year-old director’s retelling of the blockbuster franchise was not well-received by the audience. After the following installmentRise of the Planet of the Apescame around in 2011,Mark Wahlbergdid not star in it.
However, the actor was promoting his 2012 blockbusterContrabandand was asked for a comment on thePlanet of the Apessequel. While he admitted that he hadn’t seen it yet, but marked it as a better movie than his 2001 installment. Explaining the root cause of the film’s failure, Wahlberg toldMTV News,
“They didn’t have the script right. They had a release date before he had shot a foot of film. They were pushing him and pushing him in the wrong direction. You have got to let Tim do his thing.”
Also Read:“I tried to forget that”: Mark Wahlberg Actively Tried To Delete His Infamous Calvin Klein Photoshoot With Kate Moss From His Memory
With a total of 9 films in thePlanet of the Apesfranchise, the most recent sequel was released in 2017. With a 7.4IMDbrating,War of the Planet of the Apeswas evidently, a success whereas Burton’s was critically panned.
Tiyasa Biswas
Articles Published :203
Tiyasa Biswas is a Content Writer at FandomWire. With more than a year of expertise in content spanning over multiple fields: entertainment, sports and features, Tiyasa seeks to bring her flair to the world of fandom. Her journalistic works have garnered significant viewership, with her articles gauging a worldwide audience.
