The original “Planet of the Apes” was a franchise based on a 1963 French novel called “La Planète des singes,” written by Pierre Boulle. It lasted more than 6 years, with an increasingly smaller budget for each film, but despite this the franchise continued with great strength.
The first Planet of the Apes film came out 56 years ago and had such an influence on science fiction culture that it spawned eight sequels, some of which have managed to rival the original in terms of critical and box office success.
Planet of the Apes: What is the correct order to watch the films?
In 1968, the science fiction action film Planet of the Apes hit theaters. It told the story of a team of astronauts who land on a strange planet, in the distant future. At first the planet seems empty, but the astronauts soon discover a society of talking monkeys who have become the dominant species on the planet.
But if you’re not familiar with the franchise, things can get a little confusing. With nine films and all with similar names, which film goes where and in what order should you watch them? Well, there are two ways to look at the works, and the first is in the order they were released, so you can look at them as the authors intended:
1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
As previously mentioned, the first film in the series was 1968’s “Planet of the Apes.” The film follows the story of astronauts Taylor (Charlton Heston) and Landon (Robert Gunner) after they awaken from hibernation and crash-land on a planet. unknown in the distant future.
After exploring the planet, the team discovers the shocking truth: apes rule the world. They have built their own society and humanity is a very submissive species.
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2. Return to the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Shortly after the events of “Planet of the Apes,” the second film picks up the story with another spaceship crashing on the planet. The only survivor is Brent (James Franciscus), who arrives on a mission to find the missing Taylor.
After discovering a population of telepathic humans who worship an ancient nuclear weapon, Brent must survive this cruel new kingdom and, at the same time, prevent everything from being destroyed by the bomb.
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3. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
The third film went back in time to allow a trio of monkeys to escape the events of the second title. In this storyline, Cornelius (Roddy McDowall), Zira (Kim Hunter), and Doctor Milo (Sal Mineo) travel back in time to the year 1973, when they discover that they are the only talking apes on Earth.
Over the course of the film they are surveilled by the US government and become a media phenomenon. However, humanity soon shows its true colors, leaving the apes to fight for survival.
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4. Conquer the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Two decades after the events of the third film, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” follows the story of Caesar (Roddy McDowall), son of Cornelius and Zira. He was hidden from the authorities at the end of the previous film, as he is the only talking ape on the planet.
All his life, Caesar hid from humanity with a circus troupe. But with his identity threatened, he is forced to reveal himself to the world, setting off a series of events that will give rise to the Planet of the Apes.
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5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Told largely through flashbacks, the fifth film in the series is set a few years after the events of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” with Caesar living with his wife Lisa (Natalie Trundy) and son Cornelius.
Throughout the film, Caesar tries to maintain peace between apes and humans, but is opposed by an aggressive gorilla general named Aldo (Claude Akins), who wants to imprison what’s left of humanity.
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6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
With “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” effectively ending the original story, the Planet of the Apes film series went on hiatus for nearly thirty years. In this film, actor Andy Serkis, best known for his role as Gollum, lent his extraordinary abilities to Caesar, a chimpanzee who lives in captivity before finding freedom.
His intelligence is enhanced by science and he becomes the center of a prequel story about the beginning of the end of humanity. Set in the “present”, the film also stars James Franco, John Lithgow, Brian Cox and Freida Pinto.
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7. Planet of the Apes: Showdown (2014)
Set ten years after the events of the sixth film, this is set in a world where the human population has been greatly reduced due to a severe pandemic. With the humans outnumbered, a society of apes began to form, with Caesar as their leader. Bring back the strong cast with Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell and Toby Kebbell.
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8. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Set two years after the events of the previous film, the conflict between apes and humans has escalated into all-out war, as Caesar seeks to avenge those he lost. Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn join the franchise for this acclaimed finale to the Caesar-centric trilogy.
At least it was originally supposed to be the finale, except that it made a good amount of money and therefore needs a sequel, which will arrive in 2024. Unfortunately this film is not yet available on streaming services.
Alternate order to watch Planet of the Apes
The second way to look at the franchise is to think about the chronological order of events. Since the newer films function as prequels, they come first:
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Planet of the Apes: Showdown (2014)
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
- Planet of the Apes: Reign (2024 – upcoming)
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Return to the Planet of the Apes (1970)
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
And what about the ninth film that already exists?
Director Tim Burton was hired to present a new vision and the film continued as a new adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s novel. Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan and Kris Kristofferson joined the cast and the new film – simply titled “Planet of the Apes” – hit theaters in 2001.
The film is set in the year 2029, when Captain Leo Davidson encounters an electromagnetic storm and finds himself transported to the year 5021. There, he crash-lands on a planet called Ashlar, populated by humanoid apes. Burton’s work can be watched at any time, as it does not officially belong to any timeline. However, we recommend that you at least watch the 1968 original before committing to the remake, available on Star+.
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Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
