With Robert Rodriguez in bed with Fox on the upcoming “Predators”, its really no surprise to hear Tom Rothman’s giving the Austinite first dibs of anything else Predator-ish at the studio.

According to Vulture, Fox recently offered Rodriguez first refusal on “Pllanet of the Apes” prequel, “Cesar”. The filmmaker seemingly wasn’t into damn dirty apes though – and for that matter, neither was Oscar Hopeful Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”), who were also consequently offered the project and passed.

Now producer Peter Chernin is onto a new list – and hopes James McTiegue (“V for Vendetta”), the Hughes brothers (“From Hell,” “The Book of Eli”), Pierre Morel (“From Paris with Love”), Dennis Illiadis (“The Last House on the Left”) or Scott Stewart (“Legion”) will answer the call of the primates.

The new “Apes” flick, in development for quite a while, is set before the events of Tim Burton’s 2001 film.