KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES opens May 24th, 2024

It was not until the shocking conclusion of the 1968 epic, PLANET OF THE APES, when we discovered that astronaut George Taylor (played by Charlton Heston) had not landed in another world in which primates rule over humans, but simply another time. Decades later, the franchise would begin to explain the origins of how Earth would eventually become this way with a series of prequels, starting with RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES in 2011. The series appears to be closer than ever to reaching the original classic’s timeline with the upcoming release of KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Wes Ball of the MAZE RUNNER trilogy fame takes over for Matt Reeves — who helmed the last two chapters, 2014’s DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES and WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES in 2017 — as the director of this latest installment. Taking place years after the events of WAR, the film depicts a new era for the descendants of Andy Serkis’ messianic chimpanzee, Caesar, who appear to have evolved into more sophisticated creatures than before, as the sequel’s first official trailer reveals. There is plenty more to analyze from the KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES teaser, which we will dish on below. First, take a look at the trailer for yourself:

Apes Are Dominant

Years after an experimental treatment for Alzheimer’s gave Caesar human-level intelligence in RISE, the global spread of a deadly and devolving virus left the human race endangered in DAWN and a violent conflict between Caesar’s people and the humans broke out in WAR, the apes have officially inherited the Earth. They even appear to have a monarchical leader, sporting a royal crown atop his head as he greets his people about what a “wonderful day” it is. Speaking of, these animals have actually reached a point at which they can communicate in English and in complete sentences.

However, life does not appear to be so “wonderful” in this kingdom for the remaining humans, who have, essentially, taken the hairier species’ former position — being hunted for reasons that are not made clear. Could it be for sport, for enslavement or could it be a hint that the war for the Planet of the Apes is not quite over? If it’s the third option, glimpses of some primates sharing food with feral humans and helping them in moments of desperation could indicate that more conflict could be brewing between the animal overlords as well.

A Jungle Out There

Overt clues in the teaser suggest that KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES takes place very, very far in the future are the shots of the country’s cities — or, at least, what is left of them. The introductory shot of the clip, at first, seems like an aerial view of a jungle, which would not be an inaccurate way to describe it, but if you look closely underneath the vegetation, you will notice the remains of man-made buildings. A later moment sees an ape character riding his horse into a field of grass surrounded by skyscrapers covered in greenery, which could be what is left of an urban park area.

The sight of man-made structures enveloped in greenery is a common staple of the post-apocalyptic genre — as seen in the likes of the Will Smith-led thriller I AM LEGEND from 2007 or HBO’s series adaptation of the popular video game, “The Last of Us.” However, rarely has it ever looked so idyllic and invoked such warm emotions as how it’s used in this trailer. If not for the poor treatment of the struggling human beings, these gorgeous sights would have us fully on board for the ape’s prevailing if it meant allowing nature to take over once more.

The Epic Score

A good deal of credit for our swooning reaction to the picturesque imagery in this trailer might actually deserve to go to the music. Many would agree that a key component of what makes a good cinematic adventure story a great cinematic adventure story is a truly epic score. We believe that this one is what makes the teaser for KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES a great trailer, and also suggests that the sequel is adopting a different, potentially brighter tone than previous installments.

Taking the place as the franchise’s composer from Academy Award® winner Micahel Giacchino — who succeeded Patrick Doyle after RISE — John Paesano, who previously worked with Wes Ball conducting the music for all three MAZE RUNNER movies. He has also written the music for a wide variety of films — such as the animated DC flick SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE from 2010, 2017’s Tupac Shakur biopic ALL EYEZ ON ME, and Disney+’s CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN remake. He earned an Emmy nomination for composing the opening title sequence for the Marvel TV series, “The Defenders,” and also earned acclaim for scoring PlayStation’s popular Spider-Man video game and Amazon Prime’s adult animated superhero TV show, “Invincible.”

If the trailer is any indication of what kind of sequel we are in for this time, then KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES might just be a blockbuster fit for a king. See for yourself when it comes to an AMC Theatres location near you!

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES opens May 24th, 2024