Where the Original ‘Planet of the Apes’ Movies Fit in the New Series

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the newest addition to a highly prolific series, but the film’s director hasn’t forgotten its roots. In the Inside Total Film podcast, Wes Ball theorized how Charlton Heston’s classic film, Planet of the Apes, fits into the grander continuity. Kingdom takes place three centuries after the Caesar (Andy Serkis) timeline of the previous films. That gives a lot of leeway for the original movie that started it all to still exist.

“I do think there are still many, many years in-between when that Charlton Heston reality steps in, where a spaceship drops out of the sky onto a planet full of apes. The connectedness of all these movies has always been a little loose, they aren’t like other franchises out there which are so absolutely carved in stone you can’t violate things — it’s always been a little loosely connected.”

The recent surge of prequels of popular franchises seen in House of the Dragon or TheRings of Power offers very little flexibility. The history of these fantasy worlds is so well known that any deviation from the source material can cause significant ire from fans. By Ball’s logic, the Apes series is free of such restrictions. He even assures viewers that in the current reboot culture, there is no concern that Heston’s performance will be overshadowed.

‘The Planet of the Apes’ Still Reigns Supreme

1968’s Planet of the Apes was a monumental feat for sci-fi films. Maintaining an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, the film remains the standard to which all others are compared. With a collection of quotable lines of dialogue and Heston’s passionate performance, the social commentary makes it a classic. And though it has been remade in the past in one of the most controversial adaptations, Ball doesn’t see the current franchise going in that direction.

“In my mind if we had our choice, we wouldn’t go back and remake the 1968 version, we would build all the way up to it then start over, just go back and watch [the] ’68 version and the franchise through,” Ball explained. He intends to keep the legacy intact and sees no reason that it needs to be redone. And because there is so much space between films, he can let Planet of the Apes exist on its own.

Any remake of Planet of the Apes would likely pale in comparison to the original. The practical effects are still masterful, and the ending twist has become as large as the film itself. The Apes films don’t depend on just one character to keep it going. Like any good sci-fi film, it is dependent on the themes that translate to current society. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can easily exist next to its grandfather and be perfectly acceptable. To its credit, Kingdom has had a promising reaction from critics and is a worthy addition to the franchise. Viewers can watch the madhouse in theaters starting May 10.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

Release Date

May 10, 2024

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

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