Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes released in theaters to both critical and commercial success. Set three centuries after the end of the first film, it follows the Apes rising from humanity’s wake under the leadership of a new antagonist, Proxima Caesar. Furthermore, Fox and director Wes Ball confirmed the start of yet another trilogy in the Apes saga, making it a wonderful day for fans.
As impressive as this film was, it was only one entry in the massive Planet of the Apes franchise that has been going for over sixty years. As such, many fans are wondering what else this series gave us. Here is a complete history of the epic Planet of the Apes franchise.
The Original Novel
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One fact many overlook with Planet of the Apes is where it originated. In 1963, French author Pierre Boulle published La Planète des Singes. The film was generally similar to the more well-known film, following three men returning from space to find the world overcome by apes. There were of course many differences in the lore and main characters, but the central story was the same.
What many sadly forget is how much we owe modern sci-fi to France. This includes other famous authors such as Jules Verne and their graphic novel industry which gave readers the influential Valerian and Laureline series.
The Original ‘Planet of the Apes’ Film Saga
Generally, the original Planet of the Apes film comes to mind when the average moviegoer remembers the franchise. Released in 1968, the film went down as one of the most iconic and influential sci-fi films of the era according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Everything from Charlton Heston’s performance, its practical effects, and the iconic ending scene lent themselves to a classic.
Furthermore, the original film received a total of four sequels released annually. These were Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and Battle for the Planet of the Apes. While not receiving nearly the acclaim of the first film, they did help cement the Apes franchise as a classic sci-fi series.
The Quiet Era
In the aftermath of the Apes pentology and the passing of franchise producer Arthur P. Jacobs in 1973, the series would go quiet for a few decades. One adaptation was the 1974 live-action series, which ran for 10 episodes. It was once again a reboot of the series that sadly earned mediocre reviews and ratings. The next adaptation was the animated Return to the Planet of the Apes, which had similarly weak ratings.
The most prominent adaptation from this time period was the 2001 Tim Burton film. This was a standalone adaptation of the original story starring Mark Wahlberg and Tim Roth. Despite being a financial success, it received middling reviews from critics. However, its return left room for another reboot.
The Reboot
This brings us to the most recent iteration of the Apes saga, the prequel trilogy. Beginning with 2012’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, this trilogy told the story of the apes gaining sentience and rising to become the dominant species on Earth. Leading the franchise was mo-cap veteran Andy Serkis as Caesar. Rupert Wyatt directed the first film, while Matt Reeves of The Batman fame directed the next two.
Out of all of the Apes films, this trilogy received the most consistent praise. Moviegoers loved the film’s visual effects, emotional story, and grandiose action. With this particular version coming back, director Wes Ball’s new trilogy can bring the franchise back as a mainstay in science fiction cinema. In an interview with Variety, Ball explained that he hopes to explore how this world evolved.
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