Hollywood Ink: James Franco Going to the Apes

· James Franco is taking his WTF road show to San Francisco, where he'll star in Fox's upcoming Planet of the Apes prequel Rise of the Apes. Franco is dialed in to appear as a scientist stuck in the middle of the developing war between humans and apes; Rupert Wyatt will direct, and Fox will open the film June 24, 2011. I like the title, but considering the original, mightn't Gigantic Spoiler Alert of the Apes be more appropriate? [Deadline]

Gary Oldman lends his voice, Scream 4 casts its probable victims, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.

· Gary Oldman will co-star in Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom, appearing as the voice of Po's cagey ally Peacock. Speaking of Kung Fu Panda -- hey, Pablo Sandoval! Nice hitting streak, but quit stranding runners! I expect that from Bengie Molina, but not from you! We needed those runs last night, son. [THR]

· Mere days after Ashley Greene got her phat skrilla for Breaking Dawn, she's reportedly joining Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin and Lake Bell in talks to get stabbed or electrocuted or tanning-boothed to death in Scream 4. [THR]

· Private Practice co-star Chris Lowell is in negotiations to star as Emma Stone's racist boyfriend in the '60s-era Southern drama The Help, an adaptation of Katherine Stockett's best-selling novel. [THR]

· Finally, they're the four words that moviegoers have dreaded for years, and at last they've been uttered at the highest levels at Fox: Akiva Goldsman will direct. [Deadline]