These days, it’s all too easy to bemoan Hollywood’s obsession with reboots and remakes, especially when Jurassic World and Ghostbusters have entered that equation the way they have.
And yet, 13 years ago, Rise of the Planet of the Apes stumbled thunderously into the fold, conclusively reminding us there’s nothing inherently wrong with reboots. If they improve on the original, they may even be preferable.
Indeed, since Franklin J. Schaffner first helmed that 1968 adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s novel, Apes remains a beloved science fiction franchise. 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes ushered in the latest era of one of the most deftly intelligent sci-fi franchises to ever grace the big screen.
Speaking of which, between books, comics, television, and even video games, most would still probably say that the franchise seems most at home in the realm of feature films, and history certainly appears to be on the side of such a claim.
How many Planet of the Apes movies are there?
Counting Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which premieres next month, there are 10 total films set in the varying canons of Planet of the Apes.
Things kicked off with the original Planet of the Apes movie back in 1968; that film would go on to spawn four sequels, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).
Tim Burton then proceeded to do Tim Burton things with a 2001 reboot starring Mark Wahlberg. The film received poor reviews and was regarded as a low point for the director. Despite a strong box office performance, Fox declined to make a sequel.
And then, along came Caesar in 2011. A spec script from Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver proved to be the triumphant spark the franchise needed to remind us all that this is still Apes‘ world, and we’re just living in it. Rise would eventually be followed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes premieres on May 10, 2024, exclusively in theaters.
(featured image: 20th Century Fox)
