The next Planet of the Apes movie has found its main star. Per Deadline, 20th Century is moving forward with the next installment of the franchise with Owen Teague (It, The Stand) on board to star in the lead role. As had been previously reported, Wes Ball (The Maze Runner movies) has also been tapped to direct the feature film. The project also appears to be on the fast track as word is production will begin before the end of the year.

Ball has been attached to the planned sequel since Disney acquired 20th Century and has spent the past few years working on the screenplay. Of course, no details about the plot have yet been revealed, but according to previous reports, the film is rumored to be called The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Word is Ball’s latest draft of the screenplay had excited studio execs so much that it finally got the ball rolling on the sequel. Casting was underway soon after, leading to Teague’s involvement. No other names have yet been announced for the cast.

Teague is pretty well known to horror fans for his role as the bully Patrick Hockstetter in the 2017 feature film adaptation of Stephen King’s It along with its sequel It Chapter Two. The actor later had a main role in the Paramount+ series adaptation of another King novel, The Stand, following major roles in the prior shows Bloodline and Mrs. Fletcher. He has also appeared in other movies like The Empty Man, Montana Story, and Gone in the Night.

Related: Planet of the Apes: Facts you Didn’t Know About the Franchise

The Planet of the Apes Franchise Has Been Very Successful at the Box Office

Based on the original novel by Pierre Boulle, the original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1968. This original series of films in the franchise also included 1970’s Beneath the Planet of the Apes, 1971’s Escape from the Planet of the Apes, 1972’s Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and 1973’s Battle for the Planet of the Apes. The films also inspired a live-action TV series along with an animated series that were aired in the 1970s.

Back in 2001, Fox had rebooted Planet of the Apes with Mark Wahlberg starring and Tim Burton directing. While reviews were a bit mixed, the film was a success at the box office, but sequel plans had fizzled before a follow-up had ever taken off. That would later lead to the franchise getting rebooted again in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes from director Rupert Wyatt and star James Franco. That film turned out to be a huge success in theaters, leading to two sequels with 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes. These movies were also big hits at the box office.

The next Planet of the Apes movie does not yet have a premiere date, but with the gears turning quickly on the project, there should be more significant updates on its progress coming soon.