In the vast and ever-evolving landscape of cinema, thePlanet of the Apesfranchise stands as a monumental series that has captivated audiences for decades. The latest entry,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, wants to add a new layer to the story that first began in 1968. However, fordirectorWes Ball, it’s crucial to understand why this installment isn’t merely a sequel but a brand new addition to the saga, creating a new story in the universe of theApesstory, as he explained while chatting with Collider’sSteve Weintraubduring Collider’s Directors on Directing panel at WonderCon:
“I was looking for what to do next after I had a previous movie called Mouse Guard that crashed and burned. We were just about to make it, and I was making it with Matt Reeves at Fox. We were licking our wounds from that thing, and someone came and asked, “What would you do with the next Planet of the Apes? You just learned all this big mo-cap stuff, and you’re friends with Matt. What would you do?” Actually, I was a little hesitant at first, to be honest, and then I had this idea. What I was worried about was if it was a straight part four, a direct sequel, it somehow felt unnecessary. It was sort of unimaginative in a way. It felt like it would be unfairly sort of compared to that perfect trilogy that came previously in the last 10 years.”
Ball added that he was drawn to overcome the initial reluctance to tread the same ground coveredby the preceding trilogy, which is revered by fans and critics alike. The challenge was to forge a path that was both fresh and respectful to the legacy of the series.
“So, we came up with this idea to stay in the same universe. We’re still a part of Caesar’s world, but we’re cutting many, many years later, after the fact, where you get to really explore what’s become of Caesar, what’s become of his legacy, his ideas. Also, on the same level of the Apes thing, there’s this 1968 version that really started everything, which I was a huge fan of when I was kid. So, could we do this thing where we are both a sequel and a prequel, essentially? We find ourselves sort of in the middle, honoring where we came from with this great reboot that happened with the Caesar trilogy, and start making our way to that ‘68 version where apes are talking and have democracy and all this crazy stuff. So, that was kind of the approach that we took.”
Why ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Isn’t a Direct Sequel
The vision forKingdom of the Planet of the Apeswas to bridge the narrative gap betweenthe recent trilogyand the original 1968 film, thus serving as both a sequel and a prequel. That approach from Ball aimed to explore the enduring impact of Caesar’s legacy and the evolution of the ape civilisation, marking a pivotal point in the franchise’s timeline. Ball also acknowledged that some fans may have wanted a sequel following Cornelius, the son ofAndy Serkis' Caesar, but felt that this wasn’t the time nor place to tell the story.
“While I understand some fans were really looking forward to the whole Cornelius thing, that story can still be told at some point, I’m sure, but it opened up this whole bigger, mythic kind of story that fits into the franchise of Planet of the Apes, not just a sequel to the last three,” he explained. “We hopefully have found that balance where we are kind of honoring this long, since 1968, franchise of these movies, but still create our own stand-alone, hopefully beginning of a new chapter of stories to be told.”
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesopens in theatres on 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.
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