WATCH: ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ readies for conflict

Ape leader Caesar and human warmonger The Colonel prepare to fight for the survival of their respective species in the debut trailer for “War for the Planet of the Apes”.

The 2017 film is set for an international debut the week of July 14, featuring Andy Serkis as voice and the motion-captured face and body of Caesar, with Woody Harrelson coming into the franchise as the evolution-defying Colonel.

“No matter what you say, eventually you replace us. That’s the law of nature,” says the Colonel during a face-off. Evidently, he seeks to prevent that from happening through the use of tools: the tools of war.

The film picks up from its predecessor, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”, which had humankind’s global population decimated at the same time that apes gained in intelligence.

A power struggle within the ape community led to an attack on a nearby city and by the time Caesar was back in control, the military was on its way. JB