War for the Planet of the Apes teaser suggests the battle for humanity has begun

Caesar has a message for you

It's been over two years since Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - the sequel to 2011 sleeper hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes - was released, but now a brief teaser for the upcoming instalment has landed.

Details on War for the Planet of the Apes have emerged ahead of the film's New York Comic-Con panel this weekend - and it seems we're working towards the 1968 film, which starred Charlton Heston, much quicker than anticipated.

Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is returning to direct having taken over from Rupert Wyatt who directed Rise.

The plot synopsis reads: "In War for the Planet of the Apes, the third chapter of the critically acclaimed blockbuster franchise, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet."

Andy Serkis will return as Caesar while his arch nemesis, the Colonel, will be played by Woody Harrelson. Steve Zahn and Judy Greer will co-star as apes, while Gabriel Chavarria will star in a small role as a Preacher.

Teasing the film, Serkis branded it "...the most psychologically intense and physically challenging part of this arc. It was a very testing and very ambitious project."​

None of the first two films' cast - including James Franco, Freida Pinto, Jason Clarke and Toby Kebbel - are expected to return.

War for the Planet of the Apes will be released 14 July 2017.