Watch Andy Serkis Become Caesar In War For The Planet Of The Apes

Andy Serkis might be the best actor you almost never see. But in a new promo video for War for the Planet of the Apes, we get to witness just how Serkis brings Caesar to life. 

The clip begins with Serkis in a motion capture headset with computer markers on his face as CGI gradually transforms him into his character in the film. It's not actual footage from the movie, but a prologue that reveals just how tortured Caesar is in the third installment of the trilogy.

Of course, this process is nothing new for Serkis. He's arguably the pioneer of mo-cap acting, rising to fame as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, then reteaming with director Peter Jackson for King Kong. He also played Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and portrayed Caesar in the previous Planet of the Apes flicks. If he doesn't win an Oscar at some point, he should definitely win a lifetime achievement award for his groundbreaking work.

War for the Planet of the Apes, directed by Matt Reeves, arrives in theaters July 14. Until then, watch the trailer and check out more movies that will blow you away this summer.