Aside from a few tongue-in-cheek references, the
Planet of the Apes reboot series has done very little to tie itself to the original film series, opting instead to commit to the story of
Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his conflict against humankind. However, the upcoming third film in the series,
War for the Planet of the Apes, looks to be making a much more notable reference to the originals through the inclusion of the mysterious girl that was glimpsed riding with Maurice in the film's first trailer.
According to
Entertainment Weekly, the girl is
Nova, a character first played by actress Linda Harrison in the 1968 original. EW confirms that the characters are one and the same, and not just a nod to the first film. According to director Matt Reeves, it will be Nova that serves as an embodiment of Caesar's moral dilemma.
“The battle is not just between the humans and the apes, but in Caesar’s soul,” Reeves told the publication.
“The girl is his pull back to his empathy and — for lack of a better word — his human side.”
You can check out concept art of Nova and Luca the gorilla below. Are you glad that the new film is solidifying connections to the original series? Let us know in the comments!
War for the Planet of the Apes opens in theaters on July 14, 2017.
In ‘War for the Planet of the Apes,’ the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
About The Author:
Matt is a graduate of the Ryerson University School of Journalism, and has been a fan of superheroes since he picked up his first comic book issue as a child. While he works as a professional musician, Matt has a massive passion for comic books, films and heroes, along with participating in discussion and debate with the CBM community.