Is ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ a Sequel? Answered

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes remains one of the most anticipated movies of the year, as the Planet of the Apes franchise has amassed a considerable fan following over the years.

A major query that has been on quite a few fans’ minds is whether the film is a sequel, as the Planet of the Apes franchise has been dormant for a while, and to answer that, yes, it is a continuation of the existing reboot series. The Wes Ball-directed film will serve as a sequel to the 2017 movie War for the Planet of the Apes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth film in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise and marks the end of a seven-year gap since the release of a movie in that universe.

The film’s pre-production was put in motion back in 2019, following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Maze Runner director Wes Ball was handed the responsibility of writing and directing, with most of the script being worked on during the peak pandemic years. Earlier, Matt Reeves, director of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and War for the Planet of the Apes, had shown interest in making the fourth film in the franchise, but talks didn’t progress, and the film eventually landed in Ball’s lap.

The movie has primarily been shot at Disney Studios Australia, with the Australian government providing partial financial aid for the project. Erick Winquist was appointed visual effects supervisor, while Weta FX returned as the visual effects and animation company after their stellar work on the previous Planet of the Apes reboot films. The film has been heavily marketed, implementing tactics like rolling out a Super Bowl ad and actors wearing realistic ape costumes parading on horses in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was earlier slated to release along with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but was rescheduled to avoid competition with the George Miller flick.

(featured image: 20th Century Studios)