Address the chronology of the saga of Planet of the Apes It is a work worthy of any historian. After reviews, alternative timelines and taking into account that the very basis of the franchise is the temporal paradox, knowing what comes before and what comes after each film is quite a hassle. For this reason and to facilitate orientation in order to see the latest installment that premieres this week, kingdom of the planet of the apeswhich is the beginning of what is expected to be a new trilogy, let’s put some order.
The cinematographic saga of Planet of the Apes has evolved and expanded considerably since its inception, spanning more than five decades of stories exploring themes of domination, revolution, and the complex relationship between humans and other intelligent species. This series of films, initially based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, has been the subject of multiple reinterpretations, each one contributing new elements and perspectives to the global narrative. In fact, since alternative realities exist, the old and new films are not strictly linked, but rather open up as other realities.
(There may be some spoilers about the plot of the first films)
classic saga
‘Planet of the Apes’ (1968) – Disney+
Released in 1968, this film is essential to understand the beginning of the franchise. Adapting Boulle’s French novel, it immerses us in a apocalyptic world where apes are the dominant species and humans, reduced to a primitive state, are enslaved. Charlton Hestonplaying an astronaut, discovers to his horror that he has returned to an Earth devastated by time and nuclear war, instead of having landed on other planets, a narrative twist that not only surprises the viewer but also eerie.sets a critical tone about human self-destruction. It should be noted that this film has to be set in the contemporary world since the statue of Libertywhich was built in 1876 and in the direct sequel, appears the New York subway whose first underground section was inaugurated in 1904.
‘Return to the Planet of the Apes’ (1970) – Disney+
This direct sequel expands the dystopian vision of the ape-ruled world by introducing a new group of mutant humans who worship a nuclear arsenalthus relating the film to the Cold War and the fear of armament and soviet attack. A new astronaut goes in search of Troy, played by Heston, and also discovers with horror what happened to Earth. The climatic confrontation with the detonation of a nuclear device suggests a continuing critique of the human propensity toward self-destruction.
‘Escape from the Planet of the Apes’ (1971) – Disney+
Introducing an element of time travel, this film reverses the original premise by bring two apes, Zira and Cornelius, to the human pastspecifically to Los Angeles in 1973. His arrival raises philosophical questions about causality and destinywhile their treatment at the hands of humans reflects the ironies and tragedies of xenophobia and fear of the other and even experimentation with animals.
‘Rebellion of the Apes’ (1972) – Disney+
Focusing on Caesar, the son of Zira and Cornelius, this film chronicles his growth and eventual leadership of an ape revolt in the near future. By showing the apes as oppressed subjects who rise up against their human oppressors, the film comments on theThe cycles of oppression and rebellion, while anticipating the simian dominance seen in previous films. The film is set in 1991, a 1991 that was presented as a dystopian future at the time since the film was released in 1972. Here they say that 10 years after the previous film, when the apes go to Earth, a disease destroys all human pets ( dogs and cats), they take the apes as pets and begin to force them to work and enslave them. Which serves as a trigger for Caesar’s rebellion.
‘Battle for the Planet of the Apes’ (1973) – Disney+
Set after the revolt, this film explores the fragile coexistence of apes and humans, addressing themes of power, coexistence, and the possibility of peace. The inclusion of a narrative set in a distant future, 12 years after the previous film, offers a thoughtful perspective on the legends and myths that can form the basis of a society, focusing on how present actions can influence future perception. In fact, the entire action of the film it’s a flashback, since there is a narrator who speaks 600 years after the events narrated. This film works as the closing of the group of classic films and reveals in the end what this second war turned out to be, but this time between apes to see what they do with humans, coexist or genocide.
‘Planet of the Apes’ by Tim Burton
‘Planet of the Apes’ (2001) – Disney+
This reboot tries to offer a new vision with an ending that tries to surprise and provoke. Although it shares the title and basic concepts of the original film, this remake is distinguished by its narrative and visual differences significant, challenging established expectations and exploring new dimensions of the central theme of role reversal between apes and humans. It is set initially in the year 2029 human and on the ‘planet of the apes’ it is the 5021. You can theorize which planet he lands on, but the biggest twist (SPOILER) is when he lands on what he thinks is the Earth he left and sees that Lincoln monument has the face of an ape.
modern reboot
‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ (2011) – Disney+
Beginning a new trilogy, this 2010-set film picks up the franchise with an origin story that uses the genetic engineering as a starting point for the ape rise. By placing the action in a contemporary and more scientifically plausible context, the film reimagines the saga with a focus on scientific ethics and the unintended consequences of animal experimentation. While makeup was used in the original films and Burton’s to recreate the intelligent apes, in this remake CGI was used.
‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ (2014) – Disney+
This sequel set in 2026 explores the power dynamics between apes and the last humans on a post-apocalyptic Earth. Delving into themes of leadership, betrayal and the search for peaceful coexistence, the film offers a complex exploration of the social structures and conflicts that can arise in a world under reconstruction.
‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ (2017) – Disney+
The third part of the modern trilogy set in 2028 leads to Caesar and his apes into a decisive conflict with humans. Exploring themes of revenge, forgiveness and the moral cost of war, this film concludes the modern trilogy with a reflection on the legacy and consequences of struggles for power and survival.
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ (2024) – In theaters from May 10
Set 300 years after the previous film and intended to be the beginning of a new trilogy about the future of the Planet of the Apes, it explores a new chapter in the saga where the apes are the dominant species that lives in harmony and humans have seen each other. reduced to living in the shadows. As a new and tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, a young ape embarks on a harrowing journey that will lead him to question everything he knows about the past and make decisions that will define the future for apes and humans alike.
