The return of the Planet of the Apes franchise is coming a little sooner than previously expected.

Originally scheduled for release on July 18, 2014, Fox's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will now arrive one week earlier, on July 11, 2014. The sequel, directed by Cloverfield and Let Me In filmmaker Matt Reeves, takes place about a decade after the world-ending events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. With mankind mostly decimated by a devastating virus, the remnants of humanity are forced to team up with the hyper-intelligent apes if they're to stand a chance at continued survival — assuming the two species can work together at all, that is.

Andy Serkis returns in the role of Caesar, alongside a slew of franchise newcomers including Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman and Keri Russell.

It's worth noting that the new release date for Dawn is currently inhabited by Fast & Furious 7. Universal Pictures has put that film on indefinite hold as it considers ways of proceeding in the wake of star Paul Walker's death, but the studio has stopped short of changing the film's release date. From an outsider's perspective, it doesn't seem likely the new Fast and Furious film will hit its scheduled release date.