Confirmed: Freida Pinto Joins ‘Rise of the Apes’

As reported earlier, Freida Pinto was rumored to join the Planet of the Apes prequel Rise of the Apes. It has now been confirmed that both Freida and actor John Lithgow are, indeed, joining the movie starring James Franco.

Rupert Wyatt will direct the feature, which focuses on a scientist (Franco) who has been working on a cure for Alzheimer’s that is being tested on apes. The test subject named Caesar evolves rapidly, and the scientist takes him home to live with him and protects him from cruel doctors.

Lithgow will play Franco’s Alzheimer’s-stricken father. Pinto is the movie’s female lead, the primatologist Caroline.

Rise of the Apes, set to begin filming in British Columbia next month, is coming to theaters on June 24, 2011.

Wyatt will direct from a script by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa, who will produce with Chernin Entertainment, while Peter Jackson’s visual effects house WETA digital will render photo-realistic apes, rather than costumed actors, for the first time in the franchise.