'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' was one of last year's biggest critical and financial surprises at the box office. The 20th Century Fox hit had Oscar buzz for motion capture star Andy Serkis and a sequel was greenlit by Fox soon after the film hit theaters. Now the apes will rise again with addition of another new writer.

Scott Z. Burns, who penned the people-killing virus flick 'Contagion,' has come on board to help work on the original sequel draft penned by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa. Burns is no stranger to killing off humans in movies, and the 'Apes' sequel - which will focus on a virus that causes the end of human society as we know it as the apes begin to take over - is right up Burns' alley.

Andy Serkis, who played Caesar in the first film, will return to motion capture play the cunning ape. Director Rupert Wyatt will also be returning, though he's currently working on 'Agent 13.' Hopefully the sequel will be just as bananas as last year's blockbuster hit.

No other casting news has been announced or a start date but we'll keep keep you updated on this highly anticipated sequel.

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