BURTON LANDS ON 'PLANET OF APES' IN FOX'S REMAKE

By Anita M. Busch

From Hollywood Reporter -- International Edition, vol 361 n 45, 02/22/2000

Tim Burton is in final negotiations to take the helm of 20th Century Fox's Planet of the Apes, an edgy remake of the 1968 original that starred Charlon Heston.

Burton emerged as the frontrunner late last week for the long-in-development project (HR 2/17), and the two sides have now agreed on all the major points of the contract, sources said. The deal is expected to be signed off today.

The studio is targeting a July 4, 2001, release for the film, which means that the process of making the movie would have to begin immediately.

With Planet on its schedule and the next Star Wars slated for summer 2002, TCF will have lined up two consecutive, big-budgeted summer tentpoles.

Although the studio distributes Star Wars, it does not own the property. Planet of the Apes, along with the tapped-out Aliens, is one of the single biggest franchises actually owned by Fox. Because the studio owns the property, it stands to reap the benefit of any merchandising and licensing from the film.

There is no producer as yet on Planet and no cast attached.

Fox executives began telling filmmakers mid-last week that they were in negotiations with Burton. The project had garnered the interest from several A-list filmmakers, driven by a strong script by Bill Broyles, the scribe behind the Tom Hanks-starrer Castaway for Robert Zemeckis and Fox.

According to sources with knowledge of the latest script, the story is one that was written seemingly with Burton in mind. The script, which is getting kudos from sources both inside and outside the studio, centers on a 25-year-old lead and is written with stunning visuals and a strong, humanistic storyline.

It's still unclear who will serve to do production design and special effects. Rick Heinrichs, who has known Burton since the filmmaker's shorts Vincent and Frankenweenie, has worked on several of his films including Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Makeup and special effects wizard Stan Winston has long been on Planet, staying on even as the project went from filmmaker to filmmaker in the development process. Winston worked on two of Burton's films as well: Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns.

Planet has gone through various incarnations over the years, including those with Oliver Stone and James Cameron. Winston's involvement in the project even predated filmmaker's Cameron's interest.

Neither Fox nor WMA, which represents Burton, would comment.