Heat Vision is reporting that Twentieth Century Fox has hired Contagion writer Scott Z. Burns to pen the sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which earned $481.8 million worldwide last year on a budget of $93 million.

The site says the follow-up "is taking the story to the next level, with the apes on the path to emerge as society’s new rulers."

The original film's writers, Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa, were previously brought on board to write a draft of the sequel. Director Rupert Wyatt and Andy Serkis, who did the performance capture for Caesar, are set to return.

Burns' other credits include The Informant! and The Bourne Ultimatum.