For a long time it was unclear whether the 2011 reboot of the Planet of the Apes would receive another sequel. The story seemed to have reached its natural conclusion after three films. However, now we know: Planet of the Apes 4 is coming and ushers in a new era. This is already announced by the title of the eagerly awaited sci-fi sequel: Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom.
When does Planet of the Apes 4 start in cinemas?
Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom opens on May 8, 2024 in German cinemas, a little more than a year and a half after filming began. Disney is bringing the sequel to the big screen under the 20th Century Studios banner. The film originally bears the title Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
When does Planet of the Apes 4 take place?
When it was announced, it was questionable whether Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom would follow on from the previous films or mark a reboot. We now know: It is a sequel that deals with Caesar’s legacy and around 300 years after his death is located. There is not much left of human civilization. The apes have established their own kingdom and rule the planet.
You can watch the trailer for Planet of the Apes 4 here:
Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom – Teaser Trailer (German) HD
However, the monkey kingdom is not a paradise place. Threatening shadows are spreading. The power-hungry leader Proximus Caesar twists his predecessor’s words, enslaves other tribes, and targets humans’ ancient technology. The chimpanzee Noa then sets out on a dangerous journey with a young human woman named Mae to stop Proximus.
Who is in the cast of Planet of the Apes 4?
Andy Serkis will not return as Caesar in the sequel. Instead, we get to know completely new characters. The cast known so far includes:
Why isn’t Andy Serkis returning in Planet of the Apes 4?
The first three parts already changed the cast several times. The only constant in the Planet of the Apes reboot was Andy Serkis, who played the ape Caesar brought to life via motion capture process, similar to what he had done with Gollum in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. But why isn’t Serkis in part 4?
20th Century Studios
Andy Serkis as Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films
Director Wes Ball explains the decision as follows (via Slash Film):
We have [mit Andy Serkis über seine Rückkehr] spoken, no question. ‘Could you play another monkey?‘ I toyed with this idea for a long time because I thought it would be pretty damn cool. [Regisseur] Frosted [Reeves] always said, ‘Andy is the best actor I’ve ever worked with.’
Ultimately, however, Ball decided against it:
[Andy Serkis] is just too iconic, in a way. So we decided it’s probably best thinking about future filmsin which he might be able to star. After Planet of the Apes 4, will there be parts 5 and 6?
Ball has already confirmed that Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom is the Start of a new trilogy that follows the continuity of the reboot (via Screen Rant):
The last three films were about the end of something. […] It was about the end of humanity. And we thought, ‘From the ashes of these earlier films we will grow a new tree‘that we can climb.’ This film is about the beginning of something new. Which Planet of the Apes films have there been so far?
So that you don’t lose track, we have listed all of the Planet of the Apes films that have been released so far Order of their appearance listed along with directors.
The original Planet of the Apes series:
The Planet of the Apes remake:
The Planet of the Apes reboot series:
Who is the director of Planet of the Apes 4?
Wes Ball, who previously brought the dystopian Maze Runner trilogy to cinemas, takes his place in the director’s chair for Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom. He was inspired by one of the… most brutal adventure films in general: Apocalypto from 2006. Ball revealed this to the film magazine Empire in October 2023.
Apocalypto takes you to the early 16th century and tells of a Mayan village on the North American Yucatán Peninsula attacked by an enemy tribe before the Spanish colonization of Central America begins. There are some motifs hidden here that can also be discovered in the Planet of the Apes films.
What is the FSK age rating for Planet of the Apes 4?
Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom shouldn’t be as brutal as Apocalypto. There is no official information yet, but it can be assumed that the Voluntary Control of the Film Industry (FSK) will approve the film in Germany Age rating from 12 years will distinguish. So far, all Planet of the Apes parts of the reboot series have been released in cinemas with an FSK 12 rating.
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