Freida Pinto signs up to Rise of the Apes

Freida Pinto is to play the lead female role in new movie ‘Rise of the Apes’. The ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ star has signed up to star in the prequel to ‘Planet of the Apes’ alongside John Lithgow and James Franco.

The movie – which is to be directed by Rupert Wyatt – will focus on a scientist, played by Franco, who has been working on a cure for Alzheimer’s disease which is being tested on apes.

One of the animals, named Caesar, evolves very fast and the scientist takes him home to protect him from cruel doctors.

Pinto will play a primatologist while Lithgow will take on the role of Franco’s character’s father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, according to Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision Blog.

The film will start shooting later this year, and is due for release in 2011.

Since her breakthrough role in Oscar-winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ in 2008, Pinto has worked on a number of films, including Woody Allen’s ‘You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger’ and drama ‘Miral’.

She is currently shooting action fantasy movie ‘Immortals’ alongside Mickey Rourke and Kellan Lutz.

She has also been linked to the as-yet-untitled 23rd James Bond film, but work on that has been suspended due to finance troubles at studio MGM.