After the war, a kingdom has risen, at least in the primate drama “Planet of the Apes” franchise.
Upcoming franchise continuation “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is set years after the events of Matt Reeves’ trilogy ender “War for the Planet of the Apes.” Wes Ball directs “Kingdom” from a script by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison. Owen Teague plays the lead ape, with “The Witcher” actress Freya Allen and Peter Macon also starring.
The official synopsis reads: “Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.”
“‘Planet of the Apes’ is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history, as well as being an indelible part of our studio’s legacy,” Steve Asbell, President 20th Century Studios, said in a 2022 statement when announcing the film. “With ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ we are privileged to continue the series’ tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema, and can’t wait to share Wes’ extraordinary vision for this new chapter with audiences in 2024.”
The original 1968 “Planet of the Apes” film landed four sequels, concluding in 1973. Two TV series and a 2001 remake led to the 2011 prequel “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Rupert Wyatt. Andy Serkis portrayed lead ape Cesar throughout the prequel franchise, with Reeves directing “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes” which ended the trilogy in 2017.
For “Kingdom,” Joe Hartwick Jr., screenwriters Jaffa and Silver, and Jason Reed are the film’s producers with Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping serving as executive producers.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” premieres May 24 in theaters. Check out the teaser below.
