The Big Picture

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a fresh start for the beloved franchise, continuing the spirit while charting its own course. The movie takes a big leap forward in time, entering the Bronze Age and exploring what happens after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes. The film follows Noa, an evolved Chimpanzee, who goes on a journey of self-discovery.

A new era of Apes is ready to unfold as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes starts a new trilogy for the beloved franchise. The feature will pick up the pieces from where Matt Reeves left off and will explore the middle-ground between the Caesar trilogy and the timeline of the early films. The Planet of the Apes series is a long-running franchise that has inspired and entertained generations. To hype the fans further for the upcoming feature a new image has been unveiled by Empire Magazine. It sees the protagonist, Noa, looking at someone or something intently. While the image doesn’t give anything away, it gives us a sense of familiarity that kicks in the nostalgia and reminds us of Caeser.

‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Will Take a “Leap Forward” in Time
Image via 20th Century Studios/Empire

All eyes have been on the Kingdom of the Planet of Apes ever since the reboot announcement was made, with the upcoming feature, director Wes Ball aims to continue what the franchise has delivered over the years in spirit while charting its own course. While we do know it’s a fresh start for a new trilogy, it’s been unclear where it falls in chronological order, “I wanted to do a big leap forward in time,” Ball reveals to Empire without specifying exactly how far in the future Kingdom of the Planet of Apes takes place after War for the Planet of the Apes.

He teases, “Caesar is still a spirit in the movie, but most of his living relatives are not in this picture.” He further explains the leap as, if the “last three movies were the Stone Age, here we get to see what happens when they enter the Bronze Age.” When the director first started on it, he felt like “Apes needs a little bit of Star Wars,” Hinting the upcoming movie is “still very grounded in reality, but it is essentially a quest narrative.” The feature casts Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy, and many more. Ball assures that the franchise hasn’t been “kiddified, or Disneyfied” but “Our main character – the young, impressionable Noa [Teague] – meets characters along the way and becomes awakened as he winds up in a place that will test him, and he ultimately becomes his true self.”

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes comes to cinemas on May 24, 2024. You can learn more about the movie with our full guide to the feature and stay tuned at Collider for more updates.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Release Date May 24, 2024 Director Wes Ball Cast Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Dichen Lachman, William H. Macy, Owen Teague, Peter Macon, Sara Wiseman Genres Action, Sci-Fi Writers Patrick Aison, Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver