The Planet of the Apes franchise has a long history in Hollywood that traces back over 50 years. Over those years, there have been many different films and television shows to come out of the series. While some entries are certainly better regarded than others, the overall Planet of the Apes brand has one of the strongest legacies in Hollywood. It is a pinnacle of franchise filmmaking in the 20th and 21st centuries and things are only looking up for the series.
The franchise saw a significant resurgence in the 2010s, thanks to the trilogy of films starring Andy Serkis as Caesar and (mostly) directed by Matt Reeves. However, as of a few years ago, the series is under new creative control. The Planet of the Apes series is now part of the Disney empire. Considering Disney’s consistent push to revive and prolong their various film series and franchises, it’s only a matter of time before fans are treated to new Planet of the Apes content.
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Through looking back at the franchise’s past and looking ahead to what we know about the series’ future, it is easy to see that there is a bright path forward for Planet of the Apes. Here’s how:
The Franchise’s History
20th Century Fox
Believe it or not, Planet of the Apes was never originally intended to become a series. The original novel that everything has been loosely based on was released in 1963. Written by the French author Pierre Boulle, the novel was a bestseller, and it was soon optioned for a film adaptation from 20th Century Fox. The filmmaking team behind the original 1968 film did not have any plans for a sequel, but after the movie was a smash hit in 1968, the studio convinced them otherwise. Hence, was born the Planet of the Apes series, one of the first long-lasting science fiction film franchises. There would end up being four direct sequels to the first Planet of the Apes film. They were released in a very short period of time, with one per year from 1970 to 1973. After that, the series was spun-off into the burgeoning world of television with a live-action series in 1974 and an animated series that ran for two years starting in 1975.
Since the series’ explosion in the ‘70s, Planet of the Apes has solidly maintained its place as one of the most revered sci-fi series in cinema. There were several attempts from 20th Century Fox to bring a new film to the big screen throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, but the first new Planet of the Apes film wouldn’t actually happen until Tim Burton’s remake of the original in 2001. The reaction to that film was not nearly as positive as the studio and Burton had hoped, and though it performed decently well at the box office, a proper sequel to it was never made.
It was ten years later that the first film in the latest trilogy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, would be released. This film was another reboot for the series, only this time around, instead of beginning with an already established world in which the apes were the dominant species, Rise depicted how everything began in the first place. Over the course of the trilogy, with the second two films brilliantly directed by Matt Reeves, the apes became a larger and more intelligent civilization while humanity was wiped out through disease and war. The film’s chronicled the life of Caesar (Andy Serkis) who was a central figure behind the rise of the apes, as he led their civilization and established their new home on Earth.
The Disney Acquisition
When the final film in the trilogy, War for the Planet of the Apes, was released in 2017, there was already talk of continuing the series beyond Caesar’s story. Matt Reeves had stated that he “absolutely” had ideas for where to take the series next, and there were reports that 20th Century Fox was already in development on a fourth installment in the newly re-established Planet of the Apes series. While no deals had been put in place yet, it seemed that a new film was imminent.
But then along came Disney. With the Mouse House purchasing all of 20th Century Fox’s film and television assets at the end of the 2010s, the Planet of the Apes franchise found itself in new hands. Shortly after the acquisition, Disney laid out a number of different brands and series that they saw potential in moving forward, one of which being Planet of the Apes. However, as the years have gone on, it seems that whatever idea was being kicked around after War has been left behind. Matt Reeves moved on to The Batman, and a new creative team has been established for the next film in the series.
Despite Reeves no longer being involved, Disney has reassured fans that the latest installment will continue the world established in the last three Planet of the Apes films. The next movie, which is rumored to be titled The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, will be directed by The Maze Runner’s Wes Ball. Just recently, it was announced that the lead role in the film will be played by Owen Teague. While most people will recognize Teague for his small role as Patrick Hockstetter in the new It films or as the lead in The Stand on Paramount+, he also recently gave an outstanding performance alongside Haley Lu Richardson in the film Montana Story (an incredibly emotional and affecting film that is 100% worth checking out). Executives at Disney were supposedly blown away by Ball’s latest draft of the script and are prioritizing the film, with the hopes of beggining production on it before the end of the year and for it to be the first installment in a new Apes trilogy.
Continuing Caesar’s Legacy
With War for the Planet of the Apes ending with the death of Caesar, the last remnants of humanity being lost to disease, and the apes setting out to find their own new promised land, there are so many different directions in which a fourth film could go. The most obvious of which is to bring the franchise back to where it all began. The fourth film in this new series could be the first to genuinely be about a planet of apes. It could be a complete retelling of the story from the 1968 film, or it could take inspiration from it and twist that idea into an entirely new story.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes even set up a potential retelling of the original story, as news reports in the film established that a group of people were sent on the first manned trip to Mars before getting off course and being lost in space. Just like the original movie, a fourth entry in the new Apes series could see these astronauts crash landing on the planet before eventually realizing that it is their home. If Ball is wanting to directly follow Caesar’s story in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, then Teague would likely be playing Caesar’s son Cornelius. The last film ended with the apes at a new starting point for their civilization and the mantle of chief falling to the young Cornelius. Kingdom could show how Cornelius grew into the role, how the ape civilization has progressed in the years since Caesar’s death, and how Cornelius and his tribe react to the sudden re-introduction of intelligent mankind into their world. Alternatively, the new film could also take this concept and explore it several hundred years after the events of War, with Teague playing a different character and Caesar being a legendary figure of sorts.
While a direct re-telling of the 1968 Apes film would certainly be an interesting and logical direction for the next film, the series as a whole might be better off by continuing to chart its own course. Part of what made the last three films work so well is that they were free of the overall series and were allowed to go in whatever direction they chose, with the only stipulation being that it had to end with a planet of apes. Another new story for this franchise would likely keep audiences’ attention more than a third take on that original story. Whatever direction the new film goes in, the franchise is, thanks to the previous three films, at an incredibly well-established launching point right now, and fans can understandably be excited for whatever is in store for the future.
