The planet is of apes. Again!
The Hollywood Reporter reported on Thursday that a sequel film to the 2010s Planet of the Apes trilogy begins production next month, and it has a cast and title. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be directed by Wes Ball, who directed all three films in The Maze Runner trilogy. The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes cast includes Owen Teague (It), Freya Allen (The Witcher), and Peter Macon (The Orville). The film is expected to hit theaters in 2024. Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison are writing the script.
Per THR, the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set “many years” after the events of The War for the Planet of the Apes, which came out to critical acclaim in 2017. It was a sequel to 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The Batman director Matt Reeves directed both films. The first film in the franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, came out in 2011 from director Rupert Wyatt. The film trilogy followed Caesar (played via motion capture by motion capture king Andy Serkis), a genetically enhanced ape who leads an uprising against humanity.
“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,” said 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell. “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.”
In 1968, Charlton Heston starred in the first Planet of the Apes film, based on the 1963 novel by Pierre Boulle. That film had its own sequels and a television series. Before the 2010s trilogy, Tim Burton directed a 2001 adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg and Helena Bonham Carter. That one did not spawn any sequels, fortunately.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)