This article contains spoilers for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.Disney made a perfect decision withKingdom of the Planet of the Apes,and the film’s opening scene proves it. MakingKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Wes Ball and his team were hit with a Herculean task: following up the Andy Serkis-led trilogy that concluded withWar for the Planet of the Apes.Ending with Caesar’s death,Warwas originally thought to be the end of the series given that it perfectly wrapped up the story.However, shortly after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, anewPlanet of the Apesmoviewas announced.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesdid not pick up right whereWarleft off. Rather,Kingdomwas set centuries afterWar for the Planet of the Apes. This could have meant thatKingdom of the Planet of the Apeswas more of a reboot than a sequel film. By including a scene with Caesar, however,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apespositioned itself as a true continuation of the previous trilogy.
Caesar’s Funeral Perfectly Set The Tone For Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes
The Scene Made The Two Films Structurally Connected
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesopens with Caesar’s funeral. Even thoughthe majority of the film takes place generations afterWar for the Planet of the Apes, this scene itself takes place very close to whereWarleft off. This gave audiences who loved the Caesar trilogy (comprised ofRise of the Planet of the Apes,Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, andWar for the Planet of the Apes) a sense of closure, as they could say a proper goodbye to the character who was seen dying in theending ofWar for the Planet of the Apes.
Planet Of The Apes: All Movie Timelines Explained
A complete guide to every timeline introduced in the Planet of the Apes franchise, from the original timeline to the prequels' timeline.
Ostensibly, this scene may have worked to provide closure, but it actually opened doors. By making Caesar’s presence felt right from the start,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesasserted that this was the next chapter rather than a new entity.That is, the two films were not just connected by a franchise affiliation but thematically connected. Caesar was still a part of this franchise, even centuries post-mortem. The fact that his legacy was honored from the first seconds ofKingdom of the Planet of the Apesset the tone for what this film was going to be.
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Being A Sequel To Caesar’s Trilogy Made It Better
Kingdom Restored Elements That Made The Caesar Trilogy Great
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesended up being a true sequel;Caesar’s impact is woven through the film.Even past the first scene, when Caesar is not on-screen, the character’s legacy is vital to the movie. The orangutan Raka, for instance, is responsible for teaching the protagonist, Noa, about Caesar’s legacy and the history of the apes. Raka’s knowledge, and promotion of peace throughout the film, are crucial to his character and is another way in which the franchise directly ties itself toWar.
The inclusion of Caesar — whether physically or in dialogue — inKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, ultimately made the film better. After all, one of the most interesting parts of Caesar’s trilogy was seeing how the ape transformed from a mistreated experiment to a political leader of sorts. The majority of Caesar’s battles, whetheragainst Koba inDawn of the Planet of the Apesor Woody Harrelson’s human the Colonel inWar, are ideological. This forms a strong set of core morals for Caesar’s character, and through apes like Raka, these morals are not forgotten.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes(2011)
82%
77%
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes(2014)
91%
88%
War for the Planet of the Apes(2017)
94%
84%
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes(2024)
80%
However,Kingdomalso did not forget the philosophical issues at the core of Caesar’s plight, values he has had to fight for throughout the series. What is even more interesting than those like Raka, who laud Caesar, is those who distort his legacy. Said warping is witnessed in the form of Proximus Caesar, the main villain inKingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Despite the likeness of their monikers,Proximus is not at all proximal to the original Caesar.Seeing how this legacy is warped and how the power of Caesar is misused vastly improved theApessequel.
The New Planet Of The Apes Series Is Too Good To Be Rebooted
The Modern Apes Trilogy Set A Strong Foundation
Overall, keeping Caesar spiritually alive and thusmaintaining this social parable was the right decision forKingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The Caesar trilogy set far too strong of a foundation to be supplanted by a reboot, and luckily, Disney recognized that once it bought 20th Century Fox. At a time when reboots and remakes are so common for big franchises,Kingdombeing a proper sequel rather than just a restart of the IP was refreshingly exciting.
As evidenced by theKingdom of the Planet of the Apesending, there is still so much to be explored in future installments.
And luckily,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apeswas a strong entry into the franchise. Between its visual prowess and thematic depth, it was a strong enough entry into the franchise to warrant the continuation of the modernPlanet of the Apesseries. Its success both financially and critically indicates thatPlanet of the Apesfilms should continue so long as the franchise maintains profitability.As evidenced by theKingdom of the Planet of the Apesending, there is still so much to be explored in future installments.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Cast
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
