The original Planet of the Apes movies are far different from the modern ones, and here are 10 original franchise elements missing from the modern series that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes could bring back. Matt Reeves’ Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy was a far more grounded take on the franchise, with it being a far cry from the original sci-fi movies. After three movies, however, some of the goofier aspects from the original are being missed, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should take the opportunity to reintroduce them.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth entry in the modern Planet of the Apes series, with the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ timeline taking place years after War for the Planet of the Apes. While the tone of the upcoming film is still more in-line with that of the modern entries, it is getting closer to the world of the original series, with it featuring an ape world much more akin to the older films. However, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is still missing some of the franchise’s core elements.
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10 Time Travel
The Original Couldn’t Work Without This
Time travel is a key component to Planet of the Apes, which is why it is so odd that it has been missing from the modern series. In the original film, three astronauts come back to Earth after spending a little over 2,000 years in space. This massive time jump is a core part of the film’s world and twist, but it isn’t present at all in Matt Reeves’ trilogy. Instead, the modern Planet of the Apes films take place in a linear timeline, something that could be changed by having another astronaut appear in the upcoming sequel.
9 Human Slaves
The Dark End For Humanity
Upon arriving to the planet of the apes in the original film, the astronauts discover that most of humanity has been enslaved by the highly-evolved apes, something that hasn’t yet appeared in Matt Reeves’ film series. The modern trilogy instead focused on the wars between humans and apes as society fell. However, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ trailers have already shown off what seems to be enslaved humans, meaning that the upcoming film may hearken back to the original movies.
8 Dr. Zaius
He May Already Be Back
Of all the ape characters in the original Planet of the Apes series, Dr. Zaius is probably the most iconic, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes would be the perfect time to introduce a modern incarnation of the character. Dr. Zaius is a villainous presence in the original Planet of the Apes, with him strictly upholding the various ape laws and faiths. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes could even feature the origin story of Dr. Zaius, setting him up for a future entry in the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trilogy.
7 The Icarus
It Has Already Been Set Up
The Icarus is one of the most recognizable pieces of iconography from the original Planet of the Apes film, but no spaceships have yet been seen in the modern Planet of the Apes movies. However, one Rise of the Planet of the Apes Easter egg referenced that a ship known as the Icarus has gone missing, with this possibly coming into play in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Giving the Icarus its grand return in the upcoming film would be great, bringing back one of the most well-known pieces of Planet of the Apes lore.
6 Nuclear Warfare
They Can’t Change The Simian Flu
In the modern Planet of the Apes movies, a mutated ape virus named the Simian Flu is what wiped out humanity and allowed apes to reign supreme. However, in the original movie, the planet of the apes is caused by a nuclear war that wiped out humanity, with this playing into the paranoia that filled society at the time of the original movie’s release. While Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can’t retcon what caused the downfall of humanity, having the apes discover nuclear warfare would be an interesting path forward.
5 Mutants
One Of The Original Series’ Weirdest Parts
The nuclear war in the original Planet of the Apes movies didn’t just wipe out humanity, as it also had some nasty effects on those humans that survived. Planet of the Apes‘ mutants are a species of radiated humans that live underground, with them first being introduced in Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ production title already hinted that the mutants may be making their return, and it would be great to see the fourth Planet of the Apes film confirm this detail.
4 A More Advanced Ape Culture
They Should Go Even Further
While ape culture is advancing more and more with each entry in the Planet of the Apes movies, the ape culture seen in the Matt Reeves series is still a far cry from the culture seen in the original films. In the original Planet of the Apes movies, the apes are far closer to modern humans than the apes seen in War for the Planet of the Apes, something that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should fix by introducing a much more advanced ape culture.
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3 Ape Religions
Each Society Can Have Their Own
Religion is one of the key aspects to ape culture in the original Planet of the Apes, but this storyline has surprisingly been absent from the modern series. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to introduce several new ape societies, so it would be interesting to see how various faiths have developed in the time since Caesar’s death. The various ape religions could be an immensely interesting way to explore the sociology of the different ape societies, bringing the modern series closer to its roots.
2 George Taylor
It’s Time For Him To Return
George Taylor is the main character in the original Planet of the Apes, and while the Matt Reeves trilogy focused on different human characters, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the perfect opportunity to bring George Taylor back. While Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will still have ape main characters, remaking the story of the original film feels appropriate for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, as the modern series has evolved enough to make its take on the story unique.
1 Planet Of The Apes’ Social Commentary
It Was Core To The Originals
Of all of the elements from the original Planet of the Apes movies that need to return, the franchise’s social commentary is the most important. While the modern movies do have some themes, Matt Reeves’ Planet of the Apes trilogy is much more focused on worldbuilding than on the commentary, something that was integral to the original film. Due to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ story still being shrouded in mystery, it is possible that the commentary could return, adding an extra layer to the modern series.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
