Brian Cox Set for "Rise of the Apes"

The newest incarnation of the "Planet of the Apes" franchise is really heating up. "Rise of the Apes" already has James Franco, Andy Serkis, "Slumdog Millionaire" beauty Freida Pinto, and John Lithgow locked in, and now it looks as if actor Brain Cox will join in as well.

According to The Wrap, Cox is in final negotiations to play the villain in "Rise of the Apes" for 20th Century Fox.

Set in present day San Francisco, the origin story focuses on a scientist (Franco) working on an Alzheimer's cure being tested on apes. The test subject named Caesar (Serkis) evolves rapidly, forcing the scientist to take him home and live with him to protect him from cruel doctors. Pinto plays a primatologist who helps Franco.

Cox would play the brutal and villainous owner of a primate sanctuary who runs the facility with no compassion for its animal inhabitants.

The film will also deal with the aftermath of man's experiments with genetic engineering that lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.

Rupert Wyatt directs the project and previously worked with Cox on the prison drama "The Escapist." WETA digital is rendering photo-realistic apes for the first time in the franchise, as opposed to using costumed actors.

When I first heard about this new “Planet of the Apes” film, I was weary about it. All I could picture was Tim Burton’s awful last adaptation. But then Franco joined up along with the rest of the cast and with them in place, this remake, prequel, sequel or whatever you want to call it may actually be decent. And who doesn’t love to look at Freida Pinto anyway?

"Rise of the Apes" is scheduled to take over theaters on June 24, 2011.