'Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes' Featurette Shows What's Happened Between Rise And Dawn

When we left off in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, humanity wasn't doing so well. Still, it's been a shock to see just how not well they're doing in the trailers for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which picks up about ten years later in narrative time.

During that period, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his intelligent ape brethren have become more powerful than ever, acquiring horses and machine guns along the way. Meanwhile, the human race has been reduced to cowering in fear — when they're not lashing out in ill-advised anger, that is.

A new Dawn of the Planet of the Apes featurette explains how homo sapiens got from point A to point B, incorporating Rise scenes, fake news reports, real news reports, and stock footage of concerned-looking scientists. Watch the video after the jump.

The featurette covers the period between the end of Rise and the start of Dawn, but if you're still feeling lost, this TV spot / recap ought to help. The long and short of it is that apes are on their way up, and humans are on their way down. Which you probably already know if you've seen the original Planet of the Apes.Dawn of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters July 11. Jason Clarke, Keri Russell, Gary Oldman, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Judy Greer, Toby Kebbell, and Terry Notary star alongside Serkis. Matt Reeves directed.

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.