With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes confirmed to be in the works, there’s plenty known about the movie to look forward to. The sequel will be a continuation of the narrative laid out in the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy, which began with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. While story details are scarce, enough is known about the premise, which will follow Cornelius, the son of the reboot trilogy’s protagonist, Caesar. This fourth movie will also deal with the burgeoning ape society that has emerged from the ruins of the Simian flu-ravaged human world.
The many Planet of the Apes movie timelines offer a wide variety of pre-existing elements that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can incorporate. Indeed, despite its grounded tone, the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy has proven surprisingly faithful to its hard sci-fi predecessors. As the films move further and further into their alternate future, they may gradually come to resemble the distant future first seen in 1968’s Planet of the Apes. Disney is taking a gamble on a new chapter in the Planet of the Apes franchise, but early information about the direction of the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesis highly encouraging.
10 A New Creative Vision
The franchise was in good hands with director Matt Reeves, who delivered thoughtful and bombastic drama with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes. Nevertheless, a change of pace is always welcome. Indeed, since Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes positions itself as a new chapter, it seems only right that the film should take on a new creative vision. New director Wes Ball is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ secret weapon. He already has experience directing post-apocalyptic blockbusters, having helmed every installment of the Maze Runner trilogy, and so he is a great choice for Reeves’s successor.
9 The World Starting To Resemble The 1968 Movie
When the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the world it presented was extremely different from that seen in 1968’s Planet of The Apes, which takes place thousands of years in the future. The reboot trilogy is about the apes’ gradual journey to becoming the dominant species on Earth, with humans only being fully dispatched at the end of War for the Planet of the Apes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be the first film in which apes are the unquestioned rulers. This means it can approach the political and ideological questions first raised in the 1968 original.
8 A Fresh Protagonist
One of the franchise’s biggest changes with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is also its biggest risk. The film will be the first in the reboot franchise not to focus on the first intelligent ape, Caesar. Instead, it will follow Cornelius, Caesar’s son, who was born shortly before Caesar’s death in War for the Planet of the Apes. It’s a shame to lose Caesar, who proved a fascinating character powerfully portrayed through motion capture by Andy Serkis. Nevertheless, the new movie’s star, Owen Teague, is mindful of Caesar’s legacy. Teague even received advice from Andy Serkis about taking on the motion capture role.
7 Warring Ape Tribes
The Planet of the Apes reboot franchise, particularly Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, distinguish themselves from standard blockbuster action fare through the vast scale of their battle sequences. However, the trilogy films focus on human-on-ape warfare. Plot details about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes confirm that the movie will follow widespread ape-on-ape violence for the first time. The ape society has now been broken up into different tribes, with some of them enslaving other apes. This will be a fascinating opportunity to explore new modes of action, combining the apes’ natural strength and ferocity with tactical, militaristic warfare.
6 Feral Humans
Another important element of War for the Planet of the Apes was the development of the Simian flu, which spread to previously immune humans and rendered them animalistic and non-verbal. It’s confirmed that Simian flu in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has caused humans to degenerate into a feral state. This is another way the movie is bringing its world closer to the one seen in the original Planet of the Apes. Moreover, the rapid degeneration of humans means that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will have the heaviest ape focus yet, avoiding the criticism that the reboot trilogy focused too heavily on human characters.
5 Possible Time Travel
One unconfirmed but exciting prospect for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the theory that time travel will return to the Planet of the Apes movies. This element has been a part of every other Planet of the Apes continuity, and its absence so far is a glaring gap for the otherwise respectful retellings of the reboot franchise. The “secret human technology” hinted at in the upcoming sequel’s official synopsis could be a time-traveling craft. The incorporation of such a feature into the comparatively grounded reboot franchise would be a risk, but if done right, it could speak powerfully to the series’ themes of cyclical violence and renewal.
4 Caesar’s Legacy
The late Caesar may not be a physical character in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, but his presence will weigh heavily on the film. On social media, Wes Ball confirmed that “Caesar’s legacy will continue.” Indeed, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has the opportunity to delve deeper into Caesar’s status as a Moses-like prophet figure for the apes, one whose actions and teachings can be contorted and misrepresented. In this way, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be able to go even further than its predecessors with its commentary on how societies and mythologies are formed.
3 The Forbidden Zone
Another exciting element of the Planet of the Apes lore that hasn’t yet been featured in the reboot franchise is the Forbidden Zone. In many Planet of the Apes continuities, forbidden zones are human wastelands, often concealing dangerous secrets such as spacecraft, super-powered mutants, or even a nuclear bomb. The production title of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was “Forbidden Zone,” heavily implying that this element, and all the possibilities it holds, will feature in the upcoming film.
2 Foundations For A New Trilogy
The Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy reached true cinematic greatness with its deliberate pacing, epic storyline, and resonant themes. While it’s always a risk to follow up on something so pristine, the idea of another trilogy that stays true to those concepts could well and truly cement the reboot franchise’s legendary status. Indeed, early indications are strong, with reporter Justin Kroll stating that Disney is indeed hoping for a new trilogy, based on the strength of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’s screenplay. As such, viewers can hope for a patient film, one that lays the seeds for another epic narrative, rather than a simple self-contained story.
1 The Best Special Effects Yet
One of the highlights of the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy is its groundbreaking special effects. The films pull off their ambitious goal of centering an entire blockbuster franchise on motion capture performances, thanks to cutting-edge technology. Nevertheless, the CGI isn’t flawless, and the earlier installments contain some poorly rendered moments that briefly take the audience out of the action. However, CGI technology has advanced since the reboot trilogy’s final outing, and the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes audience can therefore expect the most immersive, realistic, and visually stunning franchise entry yet.
