Quite a bit has happened on the planet of the Apes over the last few years. It has risen. It has dawned. And now it will soon go to war, and you might be able to join the melee. 20th Century Fox just announced that they will allow a lucky fan to get in on the fight during the upcoming War of the Planet of the Apes, but not on the side you might expect. Check out the video below to get the details.
Last night, during AMC's The Walking Dead, Fox aired a commercial for War of the Planet of the Apes. Director Matt Reeves, flanked by Caesar himself, Andy Serkis, took time out of their busy production schedule to provide a brief behind the scenes look into the making of War. They also used the opportunity to announce a contest in which they will pick one lucky fan to don a motion capture suit and be digitally rendered as an ape in the climactic battle. To enter, fans must send in a video of them doing their best ape impression, and by the end of the proceedings, a winner will be chosen to commit their performance to film.
Acting in a performance capture suit has become increasingly common over the last few years, especially with regard to increases in the capabilities of digital technology. Andy Serkis has effectively legitimized the art form over the last decade, becoming a household name with his portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings franchise, and even garnering Oscar buzz for his portrayal of Caesar in the Apes series.
Fox seems to have chosen their target audience for this contest properly. Premiering during an episode of The Walking Dead is a stroke of brilliance if for no other reason than The Walking Dead audience is no stranger to these sorts of contests. For example, a couple years ago AMC held a contest to see which fans could design the best "zombie survival car" for use in an apocalyptic scenario. When you have a demographic that is so willing to engage with a beloved franchise, you would be a fool not to capitalize on that.
So if you have any interest in becoming an ape and taking part in Caesar’s quest for world domination, be sure to check out the video above in order to get all of the details. Audiences will get to see the lucky ape recruited by Caesar’s legion when War of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on July 14, 2017.
