Franco Goes to the Apes

James Franco is set to star as a scientist caught in a war between humans and apes in Rise of the Apes. The film, a prequel to Planet of the Apes, which was previously filmed in 1968 and 2001, will begin shooting in San Francisco in July and is expected to be released in June 2011. Franco, 32, is arguably the busiest young actor in Hollywood and is buidling a diverse resume. He directed The Feast of Stephen, the short film filled with male nudity and based on the gay poem of the same name, and it received a Teddy Award at the Berlin Film Festival in February. Next month he will return to General Hospital, the daytime drama on which he made more than 20 appearances between November and February.

Franco is perhaps best-regarded for his acclaimed performances in the biopics James Dean, in which he played the legendary actor, and Milk, as the estranged lover of slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Franco's next film, Eat Pray Love, will open in August. followed by Howl, in which he plays gay Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, to be released in September.