Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Release Date, Cast, Plot, Teaser Trailer And More Details
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In 1968, moviegoers were stunned as Charlton Heston collapsed in front of the Statue of Liberty and cursed humanity for destroying the world. Ever since then, we've been happily revisiting the planet of the apes.
One of the most beloved franchises ever made, "Planet of the Apes" currently consists of three separate timelines and nine feature films — most of which are surprisingly dark. These movies have seen Roddy McDowall travel through time, Mark Wahlberg crash-land in a primate dystopia, and Andy Serkis lead a revolution against his human captors. And now, we're returning to the post-apocalyptic world of talking chimps with a tenth installment in this sci-fi series.
Titled "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," this upcoming action flick takes place in the Andy Serkis/Caesar timeline, where the monkeys have inherited the Earth. But what else does "Kingdom" have in store, and who will be filling out its cast, either in human-form or ape-form? Read on for everything you need to know about "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
When will Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes be released?
Evidently, a new "Planet of the Apes" movie has been pretty high up on Disney's to-do list. According to Deadline, ever since the House of Mouse purchased 20th Century Fox and acquired all their IP, the brass have been wanting to return to a world of gun-fighting gorillas and horse-riding orangutans. Now, it looks like their plans are moving full steam ahead.
After hiring a director in 2019 — more on who later — "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" would wrap filming in February 2023. So when will the sci-fi movie actually be released? Prepare to see the simians swing into action on May 24, 2024. Interestingly, "Kingdom" will face some pretty stiff competition in the action department. On the day "Kingdom" hits theaters, it'll find itself facing George Miller's "Mad Max" prequel, "Furiosa." Which of these action flicks will survive this box office battle? We can't wait to find out.
What is the plot of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
Instead of being a reboot, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is taking place in the same timeline as the Andy Serkis films — "Rise," "Dawn," and "War." The last time we visited this world in 2017, Serkis' Caesar had led his people to freedom, although he tragically died at the end of his journey. The new film will pick up 300 years later, in a primate society where some apes have forgotten Caesar's heroic deeds while others abuse his memory to establish their own power.
In this war-torn planet, humans have reverted to an animal-like existence, on the run from their new overlords, and it ain't so great for all the apes either. Many of them have been enslaved by their more powerful brethren and are forced to search the world for human tech. And that's where we meet our hero — a new ape character by the name of Noa — who will do anything to free his fellow apes. And he won't be alone in his mission, as the plot synopsis reveals, "A young human woman becomes key to the [ape's] quest, although she has plans of her own."
Who is starring in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
The "Planet of the Apes" franchise has always featured big-deal stars and notable character actors, including recognizable names like Charlton Heston, Helena Bonham Carter, Keri Russell, and Brian Cox. "Kingdom" is no different, featuring a ton of talented actors, including leading man Owen Teague as our primate protagonist, Noa. A star on the rise, Teague is probably best known for horror projects such as "IT," "The Stand," and "I See You," in addition to dramatic fare like "To Leslie," "Black Mirror," and "Montana Story." Speaking about Noa, Teague told Entertainment Weekly that his character is unaware of Caesar's impact on apekind. "Noa has no idea who [Caesar] is," Teague said. "Part of his journey is a discovery of that legacy and its various interpretations. Noa has to make sense of what it all means."
He'll be joined here by Freya Allan of "The Witcher" fame, along with William H. Macy, who nabbed an Oscar for "Fargo," although he's probably best known these days for Showtime's "Shameless." We can also expect to see Kevin Durand of "Lost" playing the film's villain, Proximus Caesar, an ape who's twisted the real Caesar's legacy for his own tyrannical goals. The film will also feature Dichen Lachman of "Severance," Eka Darville of "Power Rangers RPM," and Peter Macon of "The Orville." They'll be joined by Travis Jeffrey of "Unbroken," Neil Sandilands of "Sweet Tooth," Sara Wiseman of "A Place to Call Home," Ras-Samuel Welda'abzgi of "The Clearing," and Lydia Peckham of "Cowboy Bebop."
Who is directing Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
Since the '60s, the "Planet of the Apes" franchise has been overseen by some fascinating directors, including Tim Burton ("Edward Scissorhands"), Franklin J. Schaffner ("Patton"), and Matt Reeves ("The Batman"). But who will be helming "Kingdom?"
Well, in 2019, Wes Ball was brought onto the project, no doubt thanks to his strong action directing in the "Maze Runner" movies. Speaking about the upcoming film, Ball told Empire magazine that while the movie won't be "kiddified," it will have a "younger spirit" than the previous three films. "When I first started on it, I said, 'I feel like 'Apes' needs a little bit of 'Star Wars.' It's all still very grounded in reality, but it is essentially a quest narrative. Our main character — the young, impressionable Noa — meets characters along the way and becomes awakened as he winds up in a place that will test him, and he ultimately becomes his true self."
Interestingly enough, Ball has also cited the 2006 thriller "Apocalypto" has an influence, and we're now wondering what a Mel Gibson/George Lucas mash-up might feel like. But don't worry, Serkis fans — Ball plans on paying homage to the previous films. In a conversation with Discussing Film, the director explained, "I'll say this, for fans of the original three, don't worry — you're in good hands. ... We will feel like we're part of that original trilogy, but at the same time, we're able to do some really cool new stuff. It will be really exciting to see on the biggest screen possible."
Who is writing Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
When it comes to the screenplay for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," it was penned by a group of writers who specialize in sci-fi worlds. Specifically, the scribes involved are Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, Josh Friedman, and Patrick Aison. Silver, Jaffa, and Friedman all collaborated on "Avatar: The Way of Water," and individually, they've got quite a few credits to their name too.
Silver and Jaffa are a husband-wife duo who've been involved with the modern incarnation of "Apes" for some time, having worked on all three previous Andy Serkis movies. Friedman also developed TNT's "Snowpiercer" series and is writing the upcoming MCU movie "Fantastic Four." As for Aison, he's pretty talented at helping to revive older franchises, as he co-wrote the script for the critically acclaimed "Predator" sequel "Prey."
As for what these writers have in store, Silver and Jaffa discussed "Kingdom" with FilmSpeak, with Jaffa elaborating a bit on the plot. As the writer put it, "Caesar created something and left a legacy. So then the questions are: What happens with that? What becomes of his legacy?"
Is there a trailer for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
The teaser trailer for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is light on plot but heavy on vibes. It opens with a young Noa, telling an elder orangutan about the strange visions he's been having of the future. "I see everything," he whispers — to which the orangutan replies, "That is not everything."
And honestly, it seems like audiences haven't seen everything yet either, as the trailer boasts all sorts of strange sights. We watch feral humans run from apes on horseback, and we witness gorillas armed with tasers enslaving fellow primates. We watch as Noa and his loyal falcon traverse an overgrown wilderness, and we see him ally with a young human woman, climbing up a rocky precipice with the girl clinging to his back for dear life.
The trailer promises a true adventure tale, ending with perhaps the wildest image of all. We wind up on a beach — reminiscent of the original "Planet of the Apes" ending — where an ape wearing a crown lords over his kingdom. "What a wonderful day!" he shouts, and it'll truly be a wonderful day when we get to see this sci-fi spectacle play out on the big screen.
How does Andy Serkis feel about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?
Instead of being a reboot, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" is essentially a sequel to "War for the Planet of the Apes," taking place many years after Caesar's death. Of course, Caesar actor Andy Serkis is alive and kicking, and his powerful performance is largely responsible for the modern-day "Apes" movies being so successful. So how does he feel about the franchise moving on without him?
Well, Serkis is super stoked about "Kingdom." In March 2023, the mo-cap star spoke with CinemaBlend about the new "Apes," telling the site, "I think Wes Ball is going to do an amazing job with this film. I think it's, from what I've heard and what I've seen, there's some amazing conceptual artwork. And where they've chosen to land the story and take off with the next iteration, I think it's gonna blow people's minds."
It also seems like Serkis helped out behind the scenes. While giving an interview to The Hollywood Reporter, "Kingdom" lead Owen Teague revealed he'd actually gone to Serkis for advice. "He and I had a meeting," Teague revealed, "and he was part of why I became an actor. So this was something that I'd been wanting to do my entire life, and it was literally a dream come true to get to do this job and play this character." So what did the two "Apes" actors talk about? Well, the challenges of mo-cap acting and wearing that awkward skintight suit.
"The hardest part about it was just learning how to be in a suit all day and have a camera strapped to your head," Teague went on to say. "But you get used to it after about a week, and I remember Andy being like, 'You'll get used to it and you'll stop worrying about it after the first week.' And he was absolutely right."
Where to watch the Andy Serkis Planet of the Apes movies
If you want to catch up on the most recent "Apes" storyline before "Kingdom" lands in theaters, we've got you covered. The story of Caesar the chimp — who gains human-level intelligence and decides to take a stand for primate-kind — is told in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." This heartbreaking action flick can be streamed on Hulu or rented on Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, and Apple TV.
The follow-up film — "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" — is widely considered the best of the modern trilogy, with director Matt Reeves stepping behind the camera. Here, Caesar tries to protect his people while building an alliance with humans in a post-apocalyptic world. But some believe there can never be a truce between the two species, leading to all-out conflict. You can stream "Dawn" on Max or rent it on Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, Apple TV, and YouTube.
Lastly, there's "War for the Planet of the Apes." Any pretension of peace between ape and man is gone, and Caesar finds himself up against a Col. Kurtz-like soldier. As tensions escalate, Caesar finds himself slipping into darkness as he tries to mete out justice on the humans who tore his life apart. You can rent "War" on sites like Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Apple TV, and Vudu.