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THE ULTIMATE FANDOM NEWSLETTER

Next release: OCTOBER 11 | 4 PM EDT

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KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

THIS KINGDOM HAS NEW FACES

After the critically acclaimed trilogy that spanned six years of box office success, we are anxiously anticipating where the story will go next. With the newest installment in this sci-fi epic saga, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, releasing we want to take you on a Deep Dive into the series and introduce you to the key characters.

NOA

The film stars Noa who lacks a clear understanding of Caesar's, the ape leader from centuries ago, legacy and how it aligns him on his path to leadership. Questioned for his allegiance to partnering with humans, Noa pushes for a bold new future for his kingdom.

RAKA

Raka, an advanced orangutan who serves as a trusted companion and ally to Noa. Being a descendant of evolved apes, Raka possesses remarkable intelligence and communicates fluently in English. This represents a significant evolution from the previous trilogy where apes spoke broken English, highlighting the remarkable progress since War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017.

PROXIMUS CAESAR

Proximus Caesar is the film's new antagonist. We have seen the likes of The Colonel, but this Bonobo may just be the most menacing villain the series has seen yet. Diminishing the legacy and societal achievements that the original Caesar tirelessly fought to establish, he strives to lead a coastal clan of apes in search of human technology to eradicate them once and for all.

MAE

Mae, a human with the odds stacked against her, leans on working together with the apes who don't share the agenda of this film's new threat. Finding herself and her people on the brink of extinction, she is driven to form some intentions of her own. This mysterious character may be humanity's last hope for finding peace with the overwhelming number of apes on the planet.

ANAYA

Anaya is a member of the Eagle Clan and will be thrown into the battle of a lifetime. With humans carrying secrets and posing a threat, despite the planet being controlled by the apes, Anaya will find his faith tested.


The Colonel

War For The Planet Of The Apes

All of human history has lead to this moment. The irony is we created you. And nature has been punishing us ever since. This is our last stand. And if we lose... it will be a Planet of Apes.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED

Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes (1968) is a sci-fi film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, loosely based on Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel. Starring Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, and Linda Harrison, it follows astronauts who land on a planet in the distant future. They find intelligent apes ruling over mute humans, leading to a clash of civilizations.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) is a science fiction sequel that serves as the second installment in the original Planet of the Apes film series. The plot revolves around astronaut Brent (Franciscus) who arrives on the planet ruled by apes in search of Taylor (Heston). Upon laying his fellow astronaut Skipper to rest, he crosses paths with Nova, who catches his attention by wearing Taylor's dog tags. Fueled by hope that Taylor may still be alive, he accompanies her to Ape City, only to be taken back by the revelation of the simian society.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

Released in 1971, Escape from the Planet of the Apes is a sci-fi gem and is considered the best sequel in the original set of movies. Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo, chimpanzees who escaped Earth's destruction, revive Taylor's spacecraft and find themselves propelled through a time warp by the planet's demise to 1973. The humans receive an explanation from the apes, unveiling the treatment of humans in the future and revealing the grim fate of Earth's destruction in the future.

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, a 1972 film, that delves into a world where ape slavery is widespread. Caesar, son of Cornelius and Zira, emerges from hiding to spearhead a rebellion against the oppressive human regime. After a space-borne disease decimated all dogs and cats in North America in 1983, the government adopted chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans as replacements before implementing a society built on ape servitude. Which drives him to lead a brighter future for the apes.

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Concluding the original film series, Battle for the Planet of the Apes serves as its fifth and last chapter. Set in the aftermath of a global nuclear war, the film depicts chimpanzee Caesar's efforts to maintain equilibrium between humans and apes after seizing control, despite ongoing rebellions.

Star Trek | Planet Of The Apes: The Primate Directive

In a crossover made out of dreams, this five-issue miniseries places two iconic sci-fi franchises on a collision course as the Klingons throw their support behind a rebel gorilla leader aiming to seize control of Ape City. Caught in the midst of this turmoil, Captain Kirk reluctantly finds himself aiding Dr. Zaius's orangutans, navigating through a precarious alliance to restore order.

A TRILOGY THAT SET A NEW STANDARD

With the release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes this month, let's have a look at the trilogy that set a new bar for the franchise.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a 2011 American science fiction action film that unfolds in San Francisco. Pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman explores the effects of the viral-based drug ALZ-112 on chimpanzees at Gen-Sys in his pursuit of an Alzheimer's cure. This triggers the emergence of Caesar, a genetically enhanced chimpanzee raised by William Rodman, who progresses from captivity to leading an ape revolt against humanity.


Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Directed by Matt Reeves, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a 2014 American science fiction action film that explores a post-pandemic landscape. A decade after the deadly Simian Flu pandemic ravaged the globe, the human population dwindles significantly. Amidst the struggle for survival among human survivors, Caesar grapples with the challenge of governing his expanding ape society, risking a potential conflict of epic proportions between apes and humans.

War of the Planet of the Apes

Serving as the epic finale of the science fiction series, War for the Planet of the Apes portrays the heightening conflict between apes and humans, culminating in a devastating war. With two years passed since the San Francisco battle, the "Alpha-Omega" human militia, supported by traitorous apes labeled "donkeys," targets Caesar's ape colony. Despite enduring a vicious assault on their outpost, Caesar remains unwavering in his quest for retribution.

STANDOUT CHARACTERS

CAESAR

In this newest installment, Caesar is an unseen but incredibly important character. So much time has passed since his death that his teachings are getting muddled and mixed amongst the new generation of apes. I liked him a lot as a leader as he discovered he must both trust and distrust humans in his own unique, yet compassionate way which led generations and must be relearned in order for the species to coexist again. Also, I miss baby Caesar, he was so small and cute.

- Nikita Macedo, Copywriter

KOBA

It may sound weird to some, but I love when a villain shakes you to the core. When I watch movies, I look forward to the villains quest and what drives them. Koba had a presence that had audiences at the edge of their seat routing against him. His evil smirk still lives rent free in my head and is a standout moment in the previous trilogy. His mistrust for humans was clear, since he has seen so many apes fall to the likes of humans. From his bone-chilling lines, to his heinous actions, you as the viewer want to see a fitting end for the character.

- Tim Morrell, Marketing Coordinator

MAURICE

Maurice the Orangutan is one of the great characters in the modern Planet of the Apes trilogy. He is already fairly intelligent before Caesar exposes him to the Alzheimer cure. After that, he's not only one of the most intelligent, loyal, and compassionate of the apes, he's also one of the few who wants peaceful coexistence with humanity. He is a symbol of what we should all strive for.

- Stella Simeonova, Marketing Manager

OFFICIAL TRAILERS

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Director Wes Ball reinvigorates the global saga with this new entry. Projecting it into a future far removed from Caesar's reign. In this evolved world, apes reign supreme, fostering harmony while humans remain marginalized. As a new tyrant among the apes rises, a young protagonist embarks on a soul-searching odyssey, challenging long-held beliefs and reshaping the destiny of apes and humans alike.

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

Amidst unfathomable losses suffered by the apes, Caesar confronts his inner demons and embarks on a legendary quest to seek justice for his kin. As their paths converge, Caesar and the Colonel find themselves locked in a monumental clash that will decide the destiny of their species and the course of the world's future.