The Big Picture

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff sits down with
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
director, Wes Ball.
During their chat, Ball reveals he has loads of deleted scenes to share.
Ball also expresses interest in releasing a
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
extended cut.

Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes rocks a very full and satisfying standalone story, but it also boasts some exceptional world building. When every corner of a cinematic world contains curious characters, lived-in environments, and a wealth of fascinating details, it’s impossible not to want more. So is the case with Kingdom, and fortunately, there is more from where that 145-minute theatrical release came from.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place hundreds of years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes. Caesar (Andy Serkis) is long gone, but his memory and influence remain. Some, like Raka (Peter Macon), hold tight to his original ideals and morality, while apes like Kevin Durand’s Proximus Caesar have warped them beyond recognition to better suit his ambitions. There’s also apes like Noa (Owen Teague), ones who have grown up in the confines of their own clan, completely detached from the outside world. And finally, there’s humankind, a once dominant species now forced to live in the shadows. While most apes assume they have the power and firm control over the world, Raka and Noa are shocked when they meet Freya Allan’s Mae and come to learn she’s capable of far more than they ever imagined.

Again, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes delivers what it needs to support its narrative, but that right there is four distinct paths in this world, ones with their own unique history, way of life, and hopes for the future. Ball has to have more in his back pocket, right?

Wes Ball Hopes to Release a ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Extended Cut

Ball doesn’t just have a couple of deleted scenes. He’s got a whopping 30 to 40 minutes of cut material. During our chat ahead of the film’s May 10th release, he revealed:

“There’s also probably about 30 or 40 minutes of deleted scenes that [aren’t] in the movie. It was too much movie. [Laughs] Some of it was a shame to cut, some of it would have never worked, but all of it was great to kind of give context to the story and characters. It’s just stuff that fell away as is the endless kind of desire to make it as tight as it could possibly be. But a lot of that stuff will be on the DVD and stuff.”

And that’s not all. In addition to those 30 or 40 minutes of deleted scenes, Ball also has a few minutes of fully finished unused VFX. What’s the plan for that material? If Ball gets his wish, it could become part of an extended cut of the film:

“I actually have three minutes of finished VFX that got cut. We’re still debating whether or not there’s appetite to have an ‘extended cut,’ or something, with that little bit of footage.”

Wes Ball Promises More ‘Apes’ Movies If ‘Kingdom’ Succeeds
Image via 20th Century

14:31 Related How ‘Star Wars’ Influenced Wes Ball’s ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Director Wes Ball discusses the sequel’s timeline, world-building, how the VFX exceed even ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ and more.

In addition to teasing the release of loads of deleted scenes and a potential extended cut of the film, Ball also took a moment to address the future of the franchise.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and War for the Planet of the Apes had already proved that this was an especially promising franchise reboot, one with a wealth of storytelling possibilities. Kingdom then raised the bar in that particular respect by jumping hundreds of years into the future. Not only does the new film hold tight to the foundation those first three movies set, but it also carves a highly intriguing path forward as it explores the ape/human power dynamic.

Does Ball have interest in exploring what he teed up in Kingdom via more Apes movies? Of course he does. Here’s what he told me about his hope to make another film during our interview:

“The movie begins as Noa’s story, but it ends as Noa and Mae’s story, really. There’s literally a door that opens at the end of the movie that hopefully presents many, many possibilities for continued drama, conflict, and hopefully an optimism, I guess, for the two species co-existing. If we’re lucky enough and this thing works, we’ll make more.”

Hopes are high that Ball will get the go-ahead to whip up another Apes film. The movie debuted to great critical acclaim, and, based on Sunday morning box office reports, looks to have opened with $55 or $56 million domestically. Kingdom will face especially big competition when Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga arrives on May 24th, but until then, it does have a good chance of holding strong.

Looking for even more Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes talk? Be sure to check out my Collider Ladies Night interview with Freya Allan below:

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.Release Date May 10, 2024

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is in theaters nationwide. Find showtimes near you below.

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