Owen Teague to star in new 'Planet of the Apes' movie

Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The Stand and Bloodline actor Owen Teague has signed on to star in the next Planet of the Apes movie.

"I'm thrilled beyond imagination. Can't wait to start!" Teague tweeted Monday.

The actor is set to play the lead primate in the 20th Century movie, which is being directed by Wes Ball from a script he wrote.

Production is slated to begin before the end of the year.

Plot details have not been released to the public.

The original 1968 Planet of the Apes film adaptation of Pierre Boulle's novel starred Charlton Heston. It followed an astronaut, who lands on a planet with an advanced ape civilization and primitive humans, and ultimately realizes the planet is Earth after an apocalyptic nuclear war. It was followed by several sequels in the 1970s.

Director Tim Burton kick-started the franchise in 2001 with Planet of the Apes, starring Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter and the late Michael Clarke Duncan.

The film was a blockbuster, but critics didn't like it and Burton wasn't interested in making a sequel.

Director Rupert Wyatt rebooted the series again with the well-reviewed, box-office hit, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, starring James Franco and Andy Serkis, in 2011.

It was followed by the equally successful Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017).