- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to release on May 24, 2024
- The film features an entirely new cast, with Owen Teague playing the main ape character Nao
- Disney is reportedly considering another trilogy for the franchise
In 2011, director Rupert Wyatt rebooted the acclaimed Planet of the Apes franchise with the first film in a trilogy, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The series continued with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War of the Planet of the Apes, both directed by Matt Reeves. Now, after five years, fans will finally see the conclusion to the epic saga with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes set to release in 2024.
Taking place many years after War of the Planet of the Apes, the next chapter in the story begins with the planet now ruled by primates. Caesar, played by Andy Serkis in the previous films, is no longer alive, but his legacy continues to shape the world. The official trailer, released by 20th Century Studios on November 2, 2023, shows a highly evolved ape society with classes and fluency in English. Humans, now living in hiding, are treated as lesser beings and used for labor.
The cast for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is entirely new, with Owen Teague taking on the lead role of Nao, a name that was initially believed to be Cornelius, Caesar’s son. Freya Allan will play the human lead, while Kevin Durand and Peter Macon portray chimp ruler Proximus Caesar and wise orangutan Raka, respectively. Other cast members include Eka Darville, Travis Jeffery, Neil Sandilands, Sara Wiseman, Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi, and Lydia Peckham.
Production began in October 2022 under the direction of Wes Ball, known for the Maze Runner series. Filming took place in Sydney at Disney Studios Australia. The script was written by Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, Patrick Anson, and Josh Friedman, with Silver and Jafa having written the previous three films in the franchise. Disney is reportedly so impressed with the script that they are considering another potential trilogy for the series.
As the first film in the Planet of the Apes franchise released under Disney since their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is scheduled to premiere on Memorial Day weekend, May 24, 2024.