Caesar (CE)

For the character from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes, see Caesar (APJ)

NO!

Caesar's first word

Caesar is an evolved chimpanzee who is the biological son of the late Alpha and the late Bright Eyes, wild chimpanzees from the jungles of the Congo. After the death of his mother, Caesar became the adoptive son of Will Rodman and later Caroline Aranha. Through Will, Caesar became the adoptive grandson of Charles Rodman. Later in life, Caesar goes on to lead an Ape Rebellion before going on to rule as a king over the newly formed ape colony. As a king, he becomes the husband of fellow San Bruno Primate Shelter inmate, Cornelia and fathers two sons, River and a newborn son. When humans are rediscovered, Caesar becomes the human counterpart of Malcolm.

History

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Dr. Will Rodman, under the employment of Gen-Sys Laboratories, had been working with apes using "ALZ-112" - a genetically engineered retrovirus that allows the brain to repair damaged cells through neurogenesis - in the hopes of curing Alzheimer's. A female chimpanzee named Bright Eyes was given the ALZ-112 drug which not only repaired brain cells, but increased her mental capabilities as well. Two months into her trial, while being forcibly removed from her cage, Bright Eyes went on a rampage through the facility before security was forced to kill her in front of board members. Believing the outburst to have been caused by the drug, head of Gen-Sys Steven Jacobs ordered all remaining lab apes euthanized, destroying any chance of developing ALZ-112 further. It was discovered, however, that Bright Eyes' aggression was not due to the drug, but to her maternal instinct to protect her newborn baby, whom she had secretly given birth to a day or two earlier. Robert Franklin, the chimp handler responsible for carrying out the euthanasia order, couldn't bring himself to kill the chimpanzee baby, and instead gave it to Will, who managed to smuggle the infant out of the lab and take it home with him.

The baby chimp was given the name Caesar by Charles Rodman, Will's Alzheimer's-afflicted father, who, upon holding the infant, quoted Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, "But as for Caesar, Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder." Bearing the same white shooting star birthmark his father Alpha had, Caesar was incredibly intelligent for an ape of his age, immediately learning how to nurse from a bottle on his own at only two days old. This quick learning, and the flecks of green present in his irises, made Will decide to keep Caesar and raise him as his own, monitoring the ape and continuing to work on the ALZ-112 drug in secret. Right away Caesar displayed signs of heightened intelligence, learning up to twenty-four words in sign language by eighteen months of age, completing puzzles and models designed for human children eight years and up at age two, and able to play chess and complete a Lucas' Tower puzzle with a perfect score of fifteen moves at age three, continuing to show cognitive skills far exceeding a human counterpart. Will hypothesized that Caesar's heightened intelligence was a result of the ALZ-112 virus being passed down genetically from Bright Eyes to Caesar in utero, as indicated by his eyes changing to a green color - a side effect of ALZ-112 treatment - and that in the absence of damaged brain cells that needed replacing, the drug instead radically boosted healthy brain functions. When Caesar was young, he wanted to join the human children in riding a bicycle he saw out a window. When Caesar tried to steal a bicycle in his neighbour's garage, Alice Hunsiker alerted her father, who tried to beat Caesar with a bat until Will and Charles arrived to defend him. When Caesar was three years old, Will also gave a sample of ALZ-112 to his father. At first his father improved but five years later, his body's immune system developed antibodies that fought off the virus and his dementia returned. In his state of dementia, Charles got into Hunsiker's car and turned it on, the key carelessly left in the ignition. He pressed the gas and hit the cars in front of him and behind him, getting the attention of Hunsiker, who threatened and pushed Charles. Caesar was also alerted to the situation and jumped out of a window, attacking and biting the neighbor's finger in Charles's defense. After the incident, Caesar was ordered by the courts to leave Will's house and to be sent to the San Bruno Primate Shelter run by John Landon, where the apes were held in cages with the exception of intermissions where they were released into a jungle-themed play area. The apes inside the facility were treated cruelly by Landon's son, Dodge, who worked as a guard there.

At the primate facility, Caesar started out being treated poorly by both the staff and by most of his ape companions. In the exercise area, he was beaten down by the dominant chimp, Rocket. Caesar also formed a friendship with Maurice, a former circus orangutan who had learned sign language as well. Later, Dodge brought his friends into the facility, who teased the apes. Without caution his male friend moved too close to Caesar's cage and was grabbed by Caesar, having his pocket knife unknowingly stolen. Caesar tied the pocket knife to a stick and used it to unlock the door and free himself. The first thing he did while free was break Buck out. After a small celebration of freedom, Buck showed his respect for Caesar. Caesar, with Buck at his side, lured Rocket into the exercise area where he hit Rocket over the head with a metal gasoline canister (one of the toys given to the apes) but did no more harm, establishing his dominance over the ape and proving he was the leader. During this encounter, Caesar gained the respect and companionship of Rocket.

Caesar eventually decided to escape from the primate facility as a whole and traveled to Will's house, where he stole some canisters of an air-borne strain of "ALZ-113" and returned to the facility, releasing it throughout the cage area and enhancing the intelligence and mental capabilities of himself and his fellow apes. He beat his sadistic caretaker, Dodge, when he noticed Caesar in the play area when he was not supposed to be. Caesar showed his first capability of speech by shouting "NO"! at Dodge, leaving him, Rodney and Buck shocked, after which Caesar incapacitated Dodge and released his fellow apes from their cells. Later, an awoken Dodge confronted Caesar. While Dodge was trying to get the water hose, Caesar pulled it back, making Dodge grab his electric cattle prod and run at Caesar, who killed Dodge by spraying him with the hose while his electric cattle prod was in his hand, electrocuting him. The apes began to beat the other surviving night watchman, Rodney, but Caesar stopped them because he had been kind to the apes, and instead locked him in a cage. The apes at the facility then escaped into the city by opening the windows above the play area and climbing through them. Caesar led them to the Gen-Sys lab, as he knew some of the shelter apes - such as Cornelia and Lucky - had been taken there for experimentation. He released all of the apes there and at the San Francisco Zoo. Caesar successfully led an escape of hundreds of apes through the streets of San Francisco.

The apes battled multiple police blockades of the Golden Gate Bridge, rushing to freedom. Caesar launched a three pronged attack with the orangutans and some of the chimps led by Maurice attacking from the bottom supports, most of the chimps guided by Koba attacking from the high-wire supports, and the gorillas and several other chimps headed by Caesar, Buck, and Rocket leading the charge straight down the bridge. When the police shot one of the chimpanzees, it slipped and fell to it's death, causing an angered Maurice to lead the orangutans back to the center of the bridge. After a long battle, they finally defeated the police. However, Jacobs and a few officers arrived in a helicopter and began gunning down a large group of the apes. Buck leapt off the bridge towards the helicopter (while being shot multiple times) and landed inside. He caused the helicopter to crash onto the bridge, killing all people inside except Jacobs. Caesar rushed to a fatally wounded Buck and tried his best to help him survive, but failed in doing so. Buck then died, severely angering Caesar and the rest of the apes. Caesar walked over to the helicopter and saw a bloodied Jacobs inside. Jacobs begged Caesar to help him out, but Caesar walked away and gave Koba permission to kill Jacobs. Koba put his foot on the helicopter, causing it to tip over the edge of the bridge, presumably killing Jacobs.

Caesar then led all of the apes to freedom in the Redwood Forest. Will followed them and arrived at the forest where he was attacked by Koba, who prepared to kill him. However, Caesar stopped the angry Bonobo before he could do any harm, and threw Koba to the ground. Angry, he ran off into the woods. Caesar helped Will up, then Will begged Caesar to come home with him and warned Caesar that he knew what humans are capable of. He guaranteed Caesar that he would be protected if he just came back home. Caesar hugged Will, and now being capable of basic human speech, informed him "Caesar is home". He assured Will that he would be safe from the masses of apes, and would be protected. Caesar then walked up to a tree, looking at his fellow apes and Will. He asked Will if he had permission to climb the tree, and Will accepted. Caesar then rushed up the tree with Maurice and Rocket. The trio then looked out upon the destruction they had caused in San Francisco, wondering what would become of them and the humans as the ALZ-113 Pandemic struck mankind.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

10 years after the ape rebellion and the virus outbreak, Caesar rules over 2,000 apes in the forests of San Fransico. He will still have sympathy and compassion for the humans and relate to them. He is now married to Cornelia and they have a teenage son named River and an infant baby.

More to come...

Personality

From the very beginning, it was difficult to deny that Caesar had great potential. From the moment Charles Rodman recited from Julius Caesar to him as an infant, Caesar was bound for greatness even if it cost him greatly in the sacrifices that Will made to protect him from harm. At one to two days old, Caesar showed great signs of intelligence for a chimpanzee of his age. The morning after Will takes him home, Caesar surprises Will and Charles when he bottle-feeds himself. This is when it is seen that he has green-irises like that of his late mother, Bright Eyes, backing up Will’s later theory that Caesar’s intelligence and strange eye color was developed while in utero. By the time he was eighteen months old, Caesar had learned to use sign language and could sign up to twenty-four words and could, by the time he was three years old, he could complete puzzles and models designed for children aged eight and up. Because his intelligence was so high, he could even outwith Will at chess along with completing the Lucas Tower with a perfect score of fifteen.

By the age of three, Caesar became a carefree, adventurous, playful, mischievous and energetic young chimp who adored his adoptive human father, Will who was raising him single-handedly with the help of his own father, Charles. Because of his energetic and playful nature, Caesar certainly kept Will and Charles on their toes. The young chimp’s mischievous exploits often got him into trouble which was often a concern to both Will and Charles as they saw Caesar injured, especially if he was attacked by the family’s vile, animal-hating neighbor Douglas Hunsiker. After one such attack, Caesar was injured and required stitches and was taken by Will to the San Francisco Zoo, where the pair meets Caroline Aranha. While Caesar’s main interaction was solely with Will and Charles, he took an immediate liking to her. Using his skills of sign language, he sets Will and Caroline up on a date, which greatly embarrasses Will. His show of affection towards Will in front of his new human friend showed that Caesar had very human like emotions. Upon Caroline’s first visit to the Rodman house, Caesar enjoyed the attention that the humans were showing him. After some encouragement from Caroline, Caesar was granted the one thing he had never really had: freedom. The Rodmans and Caroline took him to the Muir Redwoods where Caesar, having not been outside a lot, hesitates before running off into the forest. He asks Will’s permission showing a sign of respect towards his adoptive human father.

For the next five years, the redwoods become Caesar’s single favorite place other then the house. It is also over this time that Caesar’s personality changes. As a teenager, Caesar is no longer the mischievous, energetic and carefree young chimp he once was. He begins to display a tint of jealousy towards his human parents who are now dating and very much in love. He is able to hide it, Caesar still adored them and loved them.Upon seeing a dog on a leash, Caesar begins to ask Will who and what he really is. Upon discovering from Will how he came to be in his care, Caesar begins defying Will but makes an exception for Charles who is beginning to show signs once more of his Alzheimer’s returning. After witnessing the family neighbor verbally assaulting Charles, Caesar begins to show a defensive and protective side to himself in regards to his sick human grandfather and those he cared about.

Arriving at the primate shelter that would later prove to be his worse nightmare, Caesar showed vulnerability and was consistently picked on by then-alpha ape, Rocket and by Dodge Landon, the son of the shelter’s boss. During this time, Caesar began to build to resistance and formed a bond with the orangutan, Maurice. It was through Maurice that Caesar came up with the belief that "Apes together, strong. Apes alone, weak". This was a belief that he would instill in the other apes years later. Able to outwith Rocket using his intelligence, Caesar adapted quickly to being a leader with a little help from Maurice and was given the idea to break into his adoptive human parents’ house and steal the ALZ-113 to make the other apes, including Maurice more intelligent. With the apes more intelligent, Caesar influenced them to break out of the shelter but not before they beating Rodney to a bloody pulp. Caesar, seeing that Rodney had done nothing wrong, stops the apes from hurting him and locks him in a cage for safety. After accidentally killing Dodge Landon, Caesar immediately shows guilt and remorse for his accidental slaughter. Though he did not mourn the death of his human tormentor for long, Caesar made a silent vow to only hurt humans that do him and his fellow primates harm while still showing his sympathy and compassion towards humanity, but not harming those who aren’t doing anything wrong.

During the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Caesar proved that he was capable of being a warrior as well as a leader. Using sign language, he instructed Maurice to lead the Orangutans down to under the bridge while he instructed Rocket and Koba to take the bridge from above while Buck and the Gorillas rampaged across the main part of the bridge. During the battle, Caesar used the fog to his advantage. He was able to tame one of the police horses and rides it out of the fog, screaming an order to pounce before the apes fled the scene. His love for Will was what helped him decide on how he wanted to live his life. Upon seeing that Koba was about to hurt his adoptive human father, Caesar leapt in to help, pushing Koba away, warning him to stay away from Will. Hearing Will’s pleas to come home, Caesar kindly reclined, whispering "Caesar is home" in his ear.

As the years go by, Caesar’s colony of apes rises from those that survived the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge to a grand mass of 2,000. Among those apes are Caesar’s own growing family containing his wife, Cornelia and his two sons. As a husband, Caesar loves his wife Cornelia dearly. As a father, Caesar loves both his sons and formed a bond with his eldest son, River, becoming the counter-balance to River’s recklessness.

More to come…

Abilities

Skilled Combatant: Caesar learns to defend himself while in captivity due to being continuously picked on by both Rocket and Dodge Landon. He uses these newfound skills to his advantage during the Battle on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sign Language: Growing up amongst humans, Caesar was taught American Sign Language as a ways of communication. During his time in captivity, Caesar used sign language to communicate with Maurice. During the ape rebellion he used sign to command his troops.
Advanced Intelligence: As the son of test subject chimpanzee Bright Eyes, Caesar inherited the ALZ-112 through his mother. As he grew older, Caesar's IQ skyrocketed so high that it outdid that of a human. Because of his intelligence, he was able to teach him how to defend himself, to pick locks, etc as a way of survival. He was even able to teach himself how to ride a horse during the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Skilled Tactician: Do to his advanced intelligence and IQ. Caesar is a brilliant tactician, this is proven during the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; as he knows that there are police officers on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, when he commands the Chimpanzees part of his army to climb the bridge, the Orangutans to traverse to the bottom of the bridge, the Gorillas to push an overturned bus along the bridge, to shield them against police bullets, and when Caesar literally rides a horse to signal his troops to attack, overwhelming the police from all sides, and forcing them to retreat. This strategy not only resulted in Caesar's victory, but also resulted in the death of two members of his army, Wolfie and Buck.
Speech: Because of his increasing IQ and advanced intelligence, Caesar gained the ability of speech, being the first ape to gain this ability.

Relationships

Will Rodman

Will & Caesar — Caesar and his adoptive human father, Will during happier times.

Will was Caesar's adoptive human father. Will and Caesar had a close bond very similar to Will's relationship with his own father, Charles. Caesar adored Will and thought of him as his father. When Caesar started to question who he was after seeing a dog on a leash, Will was quick to reassure Caesar that he wasn't a pet but his and Caroline's son. Caesar's trust in Will started to diminish when Caesar was forced to move to a Primate Shelter in San Bruno after attacking the Rodman family's neighbor while defending Charles. Every time he asked Will if they were going home, Will would tell him that he wasn't going home with him, which greatly upset the chimp. Finally, Caesar's dependence on Will faded completed after Will attempts to bribe Landon with money to get Caesar out. Will tries to get Caesar to go with him but after seeing the leash in his hand, Caesar shuts his cage door in Will's face and goes on ignoring him. This was mainly due to the fact, that Caesar had made friends and was secretly plotting his escape with the other apes in tow and that he no longer needed to lean on Will to live. The next time Caesar sees Will is on the Golden Bridge after Will calls for him. Caesar turns to look at him in surprise. Caesar's last known interaction with Will is in the Muir Forest where Caesar saves him from being attacked by the vengeful Koba and Will begs him to come home. Caesar, now understanding who he is declines Will's offer and speaks to him for the first and last time saying, "Caesar is Home" which greatly surprises Will. Will gives him his blessing and watches as Caesar stands on his two back legs and descends into the trees followed by his newfound ape family. It is unknown whether Will and Caesar ever saw each other again after this. Will either went deep into hiding or died during the virus outburst.

Charles Rodman

Charles was Caesar's first human friend as well as his adoptive human grandfather. When Will first bought Caesar home as a baby, Charles took an immediate liking to him and began to quote from the Shakespearean text, Julius Caesar; the quote a direct link to Caesar's role as leader of the ape colony later in life. Charles was the one who named him. The two had an unusual bond. Irena, the nurse who had been caring for Charles while Will was at work, said that Caesar (unknown to her was an ape) would be good for him. Charles loved Caesar and was quick to defend him when the neighbor attacked the then three year old. He (Charles) was greatly concerned when he and Will checked Caesar over for injuries, revealing a cut. Charles was also very encouraging of Caesar and was able to get him to climb the trees in Muir Woods for the first time. Caesar repaid Charles for his kindness five years later when the neighbor had a go at Charles, whose Alzheimer's had returned. In Charles' defense, Caesar bit the neighbor's finger by accident. Because of this, Caesar, by court order, was sent to the San Bruno Primate House. It is likely that Caesar never saw Charles again as Will didn't take Charles with him when he and Caroline went to visit Caesar. It is unknown whether Will ever told Caesar of Charles' death.

Caroline Aranha

Caesar meets Caroline at the age of three when Will takes him to the Zoo for treatment after the neighbor's attack on him. Caesar takes an immediate liking to her and sets her and Will up on a date by embarassing Will.

Over time, Caesar's relationship with Caroline strenghtens and he begins to consider her as his mother. Caroline is present when Will takes Caesar to Gen-Sys and explains how he came to be in Will's care. Back at the house, Caroline demands that Will tell her the full truth and he does. Appalled, Caroline tells him that things aren't meant to be controlled, ultimately defending Caesar, who is listening from his room in the attic. Caroline, along with Will travel to the Ape Shelter in San Bruno. After Caesar arrives in the animal control van and doesn't want to go inside, Caroline gently tells him that they'll go in and see what it's like inside. Caroline offers him her hand and he takes it, happy to know that he has her support. Caroline and Will visit Caesar several times during the course of his stay at the shelter. After Caesar is injured, Caroline checks him over and comments on how awfully he has been treated. After Caesar and the other apes have escaped from the shelter, Caroline finds Rodney, the only surviving human from the attack locked in a cage. Terrified, the softly spoken man tells Caroline and Will that he heard Caesar speak. Will, having pieced together where Caesar and the apes are heading, the couple head towards the forest but become stuck on the Golden Gate Bridge where Caesar has ordered a full scale attack. This is the last known time Caroline sees Caesar.

Dodge Landon

Right from the word go, Caesar and Dodge had an antagonistic relationship. When Caesar wanted to escape the primate shelter on his first day, Dodge promised a way out only to trap him in his cage. Caesar then throws "Grade A Primate Chow" in Dodge's face by accident and hoots in amusement. Dodge hoses him and continues to bully him throughout his time at the shelter. When Caesar and the other apes rebel, Dodge is their first casualty when he is electrocuted by accident. Caesar is mortified by what he has done but doesn't mourn for long.

Maurice

From the moment he stepped foot into the ape shelter, Caesar always had former circus orangtuan, Maurice watching over him. Maurice watched from the sidelines when Caesar found himself in an unneccessary fight with then alpha ape Rocket. After seeing Caesar's potential, Maurice took it upon himself to befriend the chimp, showing him that he too could use sign language. Caesar took the orangtuan's companionship and never questioned him except his ability to use sign on their first encounter. From that moment on the two apes, stuck to each other's sides. It was Maurice who gave Caesar the idea to break into Will's house and steal the ALZ-113 drug and using it to make the other apes intelligent. Maurice was one of the apes first seen with the green irises. During the ape rebellion Maurice served as one of Caesar's lieutenants.

More to come...

Buck

After befriending Maurice, Caesar took it upon himself to befriend the seemingly rogue Gorilla known as Buck. After this encounter, Caesar, with Buck's help manages to overthrow Rocket as Alpha. Buck ultimately becomes Caesar's good friend and serves as one of Caesar's most loyal allies during the ape rebellion. Due to his loyalty towards Caesar, Buck sacrificed himself to save him when Caesar was being shot at during the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, which leaves Caesar devastated by the loss of his good friend. Buck dies with Caesar at his side.

Rocket

Caesar's relationship with Rocket didn't have the humblest of beginnings. In the beginning Caesar tries to befriend Rocket but the hairless chimp who was also the Alpha male started to bully him for no apparent reason. After befriending Buck the Gorilla, Caesar is able to lure Rocket out of his cage to the play area, and is able to overthrow him as Rocket is no match for Buck. Caesar and Rocket are able to settle their differences and they become the most unlikeliest of friends with Rocket serving as one of Caesar's key lieutenants during the ape rebellion and battle on the Golden Gate Bridge. Rocket ends up becoming Caesar's second best friend and loyal follower.

Over the next ten years, Caesar and Rocket are still best friends.

More to come...

Cornelia

Though not seen explicitly, Caesar formed a romantic bond with a female chimp named Cornelia. After saying his farewell to Will, Caesar married Cornelia hence making her his Queen. With her he fathered a son, they named River and an infant child born sometime before the rediscovery of humans in San Francisco. It is clear that they share a very loving relationship. it is seen that Cornelia that has a very calming presence and keeps Caesar grounded in terms of ruling the Ape Colony.

More to come...

River

River is Caesar's teenage son and heir. They have a very strong relationship and love each other dearly. Caesar acts as the counter balance to River's recklessness. Despite his love for his son, Caesar judges River because of his actions and recklessness.

More to come...

Koba

Koba is Caesar's opposite. While Caesar loves humans, Koba hates them for all the times he sent in labs as a lab rat. Koba can be seen as Caesar's potential rival. In the beginning, it can be seen through the small interaction that the two apes have that Caesar trusted Koba enough to help Rocket lead the assault on the upper part of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is evident that when Caesar pushes Koba away from Will that if Caesar hadn't stepped in when he did, Koba would have killed him hinting at the rivalry that the two primates might have 10 years in the future.

More to come...

Infant

With Cornelia, Caesar has a second child who is born sometime before the rediscovery of the human colony. Caesar will be very protective of this little one.

More to come...

Malcolm

After the rediscovery of humans, Caesar meets Malcolm and his family.

More to come...

Ellie

More to come...

Notes

Caesar was named by Charles Rodman, who was mumbling quotes from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar on the day Will brought the chimp home.

An earlier version of the script notes Bright Eyes' treatment at Gen-Sys beginning on "Tuesday, March 10, 2011", with Caesar's birth following six week later (approx. 21 April, 2011). Seven years (according to that script) spent at Rodman's house would place the ape rebellion around 2018. Whether this is the correct year or not is unknown. It has been said that an August 2016 calendar was put on the set of the kitchen at Rodman's house. The film itself spans eight years, as evidenced by the captions "Three Years Later" and "Five Years Later".

The early script differs in that Rocket's eyes begin to go green (a sign of intelligence) after having bitten Caesar during their initial confrontation. After Caesar and Rocket together escape the primate facility and visit both Will's house and the lab, they use stolen scissors to share their blood with the other apes at the facility and pass on their viral intelligence. Caesar also has a relationship with Cornelia, a female chimp at the facility. The apes go to Gen-Sys lab and then to the San Francisco Zoo to free the apes Caesar has encountered over the years. At the end, Will takes a bullet intended for Caesar, and dies in his arms.
A deleted scene included in the DVD release had Caesar using his hands to push the helicopter off into the water with Jacobs inside. This would be changed to Koba using his feet to do so.

Most of Caesar's dialogue is either vocalizations, sign language, and the word "NO". To create Caesar's voice, sound designers Chuck Michael and John Larsen recorded hundreds of chimp sounds at the Chimp Haven sanctuary in Louisiana and mixed them with some of the audio Andy Serkis provided on set. The duo also aged Caesar’s voice from that of an infant to a full-grown chimp.^[2]
It could be possible that Caesar would be more intelligent due to the fact he has been exposed to the ALZ-113, also that a close-up on Caesar's plotting scene and showed that his eyes were more green than before.
According to the Rise timeline, Caesar is three years old in 2013, then in 2018, the year in which the ape rebellion takes place, Caesar is 8 and can be classified as a teenager where as in the upcoming events of Dawn which takes places in 2028, ten years after the rebellion and virus outbreak, Caesar is 18 meaning he is fully grown and possibly an elder ape as his fur is graying as seen in the first official still from the film.
The quote that Charles says when he picks up Caesar for the first time as a baby could have been prophetic in terms of Caesar growing up and becoming a leader.
Caesar's first word, "NO"! serves as a parallel to the story that Cornelius tells in Escape from the Planet of the Apes about the ape known as Aldo uttering the word and being the first ape to speak.

Trivia

Caesar is a similar character to Taylor in the original films, because of his situation and because the birthmark on his shoulder may be inspired by the burns Taylor got on his shoulder after fighting another human.
It can also be seen that this version of Caesar is similar to Roddy McDowall's Caesar in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and Battle for the Planet of the Apes as both become leaders of ape colonies, marry and have sons.
Similar to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar was named after the Roman dictator Julius Caesar. Unlike Julius Caesar, he stands for leadership through kindness.

The screenwriters believed that apes sexually mature at 8 years old and that Caesar could thus potentially attack Hunsiker at that age. Although chimps can become unpredictable at age 8, they don't become adults until at or past the age of 13.
Andy Serkis has confirmed a sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, in which he will reprise his role as Caesar.
It is rumored, that in the second film (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes), Caesar will talk, and have longer lines of dialogue than he did in the first film. However, that is yet to be seen.
Caesar was actually to be played by three people, Andy Serkis mostly played him from infancy to adulthood, Devyn Dalton played him in some scenes when he was a toddler, and Terry Notary played Caesar in the Golden Gate Bridge battle scene.
At Comic Con 2013, Andy Serkis mentioned in an interview that in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes that Caesar will have a teenage son and wife. It was confirmed by the film's producer Dylan Clark that Caesar's wife will in fact be Cornelia while the son was only mentioned a couple of times by Jason Clarke and by Andy Serkis himself. Actor Nick Thurston announced on his Facebook page that he was playing the role of Caesar's son and that the character's name was River. In a press conference at Comic Con, Serkis mentioned that Caesar will also have an infant child as well meaning he could have more then one child in the film.
It has been suspected that Caesar actually witnessed the assumed deaths of his surrogate parents Will and Caroline.
The words Caesar speaks in Rise are: 'NO!' and 'Caesar is Home' which he says clearly while according to the film's DVD subtitles he says 'Wait!', 'Go Up' and 'Get Under' which are incoherent during the battle on the bridge. He also seems to say 'NOW!' when he emerges out of the fog on the back of a horse.
In the first offical still from Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, his shooting stair birthmark isn't visible.
When Caesar bites Hunsiker while attempting to protect Charles, it's a reference to Andy Serkis' earlier role in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings Trilogy when Gollum (Serkis) bites Frodo's finger off in their final confrontation.
Judy Greer revealed in an interview that Caesar is still grounded in terms of personality because of the presence of his wife.
Matt Reeves has said in the recent USA Today sneak peek article that the other apes who value Caesar's leadership see him as their king and as their father.
According to a recent article, Caesar is not a big fan of guns.
Caesar will share some emotional scenes with both Ellie and Malcolm.