Maurice

Maurice
Biographical information
Species	Orangutan
Gender	Male
Appearances
Continuity	Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Actor	Karin Konoval
First Appearance	Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Last Appearance	Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Circus orangutan.

Maurice

Maurice is a former Circus Orangutan who resided at the San Bruno Primate Shelter with Cornelia, Rocket and Buck. He watched over Caesar and discovered his intelligence, hence learning about his ability to communicate with Sign Language. Seeing Caesar's potential, Maurice befriended him becoming Caesar's best and most trusted friend. During the Ape Rebellion, Maurice served as the second of Caesar's lieutenants, the first being Rocket. Over the next ten years, Maurice remains loyal to Caesar.

History

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

He asked Caesar if he was hurt bad by Rocket, then Caesar was surprised that Maurice knows sign. Maurice tells Caesar that humans dislike smart apes. When Caesar told him that apes together are strong, Maurice simply replied with "Apes stupid". This prompted Caesar to steal Will's ALZ-113 drug and expose the other apes to it. After receiving the ALZ-113, Maurice nodded his head in thanks. He escaped with Caesar and helped free their fellow apes at the San Francisco Zoo and at Gen-Sys Laboratories. He and Buck were cornered by police, but he used a manhole lid as a weapon to throw at one of the police cars, which caused it to crash into a small shop. Then, on the Golden Gate Bridge, Maurice and the orangutans were ordered by Caesar to attack from the bottom of the bridge supports. After reaching the safety of Muir Woods Park, he and the other apes started to stand upright like Caesar, who showed them the top of the redwood trees, looking out over the San Francisco bay.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Maurice will have aged 10 years like Caesar and will likely serve as his main source of counsel other then Cornelia. It is currently unknown just how much of a role Maurice will have in this film and just what his role will entail. It can be assumed he will play an active part in Caesar's council.

More to come…

Personality

Maurice is an ape that speaks very little. He is kind hearted and is the first to befriend Caesar after discovering that the chimp could speak using sign language. He is also wise and extremely loyal when it comes to his friends.

More to come…

Abilities

• Advanced Intelligence: Even before he was exposed to the ALZ-113. Maurice had some level of intelligence, after Caesar arrived
   at the San Bruno Primate Shelter, he was observing him and Maurice realize that Caesar is much more intelligent than a normal ape, after he was exposed to the ALZ-113, Maurice became much more intelligent than before, it is unknown if his advanced intelligence and IQ is at Caesar's level.
• Sign Language: Like Caesar, Maurice knows American Sign Language. He uses it as a way of communication, It is unknown where he learned it from and who he learned it from.

Relationships

Caesar

Like Maurice, Caesar was locked up at the San Bruno Ape Shelter. Maurice watched from the sidelines as Caesar found himself in an unnecessary fight with then-Alpha ape Rocket. After seeing what Caesar was capable of in terms of comminication, Maurice took it upon himself to befriend the chimp

Caesar, Maurice's best friend and king.

who was surprised that he could use Sign Language. Maurice was the one who gave Caesar the idea to break into his foster parents' house and steal the ALZ-113 drug in order to make the other apes smarter. Because of his close association with Caesar, Maurice became one of the commanders during the assault on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Over the next ten years, Maurice is still loyal to Caesar and is one of his closest companions along with Rocket and Cornelia.

More to come...

Rocket

Though they have little to no interaction, Maurice and Rocket seemed to be civil. Through a conversation he has with Caesar, Maurice sees Rocket as brutish and somewhat stupid as he asks why Caesar gave Rocket a cookie

Rocket, Maurice's fellow inmate and close friend.

in order to bribe him. Caesar explains that apes that act alone are weak while apes that act together are strong.

More to come...

Cornelia

Though they have no known interaction, Maurice and Cornelia were inmates at the shelter before and during Caesar's time at the shelter. Over the next ten years, the two primates become allies of Caesar, as one of Caesar's

Cornelia, another of Maurice's fellow inmates and queen.

lieutenants and as Caesar's Queen, respectively.

More to come...

River

River is the eldest son of Maurice's friend, Caesar. Though it is currently unknown as to how much interaction the two will have, it is known that River will be one of Maurice's students.

More to Come...

River, one of Maurice's students

Notes

• Maurice was named in tribute to Maurice Evans, who played chief orangutan Dr. Zaius in Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes, although the movie used the American pronunciation of his name ("Maw-reece") rather than Evans' own British pronunciation ("Morris").
• In Battle for the Planet of the Apes, both the Lawgiver - the wise historian - and Virgil - the advisor - were portrayed as orangutans. Thus, the portrayal of Maurice as a just, wise ape leads to a line of possibly related future wise orangutans like the Lawgiver and Dr. Zaius.

Trivia

• Maurice is due to return in Dawn and is likely to act as Caesar's second or third in command. Though, he might not be involved in any battles though this has not been confirmed, he is not present in the first official still from the film.
• Karin Konoval is reprising her role as Maurice in Dawn.
• There are many postings on Karin Konoval's official public facebook page that tell about her experiences getting to know real life orangutans
• To celebrate 1 million likes on the official Apes Facebook page, Matt Reeves did a video to congratulate the page. In the background on the editing monitors behind Reeves was a series of completed stills of Caesar and Maurice in the editing program.
• At CinemaCon, Maurice was seen in the footage that was shown.
• In an interview at CinemaCon, Andy Serkis mentioned that Maurice would act as a school teacher to the younger apes and that Maurice may be able to speak English. From what Andy mentioned, Maurice helped Caesar teach many of the apes how to use Sign Langauge as a ways of communication.
• Maurice had brief apperances in the footage at CinemaCon. He appeared to be sad in some of the shots.
• Maurice makes a brief appearance at the beginning of Dawn's first TV spot. He is on Caesar's left when the apes are preparing for war at the beginning of the spot. He is NOT wearing warpaint.

Image Gallery

Karin Konoval as Maurice.

Maurice eating a twig.

Caesar, Rocket, Maurice and Buck.

Observing Caesar.

Gen-Sys Escape.

The First Possible Lawgiver.

Caesar, Maurice and Buck art.

The Making of the "Maurice" action figure (uncompleted) Sneak Peek.

"Maurice" action figure (completed).

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes figures: Maurice in back on right.

Fourth Ape in new sets of posters not Maurice (Note: Look more closely at Ape's face).

Caesar, Maurice and Koba with their Ape Army ready for War.