'Rise Of Planet Of The Apes' Star James Franco: What's Next?

It looks like "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" director Rupert Wyatt and co-star Andy Serkis had it right when they recently praised James Franco's performance in the flick, which hit theaters Friday (August 5). "Apes" has opened to great reviews and a strong first weekend, but we wouldn't be surprised if Franco barely gives that success a second thought. The actor has so many films on his plate right now we can hardly keep track, not to mention a record on the way and classes to teach. The most high-profile of Franco's upcoming projects is Sam Raimi's "Oz: The Great and Powerful," which is currently filming. Franco plays the titular Oz opposite Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and recently announced castmate Bruce Campbell. The flick is set for a March 8, 2013, release. Franco is also filming the indie "Cherry," co-starring Dev Patel and Heather Graham. Additionally, three of his movies are currently in post-production: "Sal," "Maladies" and "The Stare." On top of all that, Franco has plenty more movies left to shoot. Once he's done with "Oz," the actor will get started on his murder thriller "The Iceman," which also stars Benicio Del Toro. Then there's the Linda Lovelace biopic he's rumored to be attached to. As if that weren't enough to keep him busy, Franco is reportedly in talks for roles in "Zeroville," a likely "Pineapple Express" sequel and a movie with his brother Dave. Franco isn't limiting himself to just acting, though. He's also planning to direct adaptations of "Blood Meridian" and "As I Lay Dying," the latter of which may star Paul Dano. That batch doesn't include the movie he's already directed, "The Broken Tower," which has yet to be given a wide release. Beyond the film industry, Franco is also making theater plans. He has said he intends to turn the "Three's Company" art installation he debuted at Sundance into an off-Broadway play. On the music front, he just dropped the first CD from his group, Kalup & Franco. With all those projects under way, Franco doesn't seem to be taking any time off. In fact, he has signed on to teach two film-related courses, one called "Master Class: Editing James Franco ... With James Franco," and another on making poetry into film, at NYU. Check out everything we've got on "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. James Franco Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images