Summary
With the success ofKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, speculation has started to mount about the franchise’s future. After a misfire in 2001, thePlanet of the Apesfranchise came roaring back with a prequel trilogy that surpassed all expectations. Now, seven years after the outstandingWar for the Planet of the Apes,the franchise has jumped hundreds of years into the future, opening up countless possibilities for potential sequels.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' box office successmeans that a sequel is now likely. While a name can only reveal so much information, each title of theApesprequels so far has provided an important clue about the plot. True to form,Kingdomtold the story of an ape kingdom in its infancy, and the name of the sequel, when it does arrive, can indicate the next step in Noa’s journey.
8Empire Of The Planet Of The Apes
Proximus Caesar’s kingdom could grow even larger, despite his death
Theending ofKingdom of the Planet of the Apesshows Noa and Eagle Clan escaping from Proximus Caesar’s coastal kingdom, but that may not necessarily spell the end for the wannabe ruler. Proximus is attacked by eagles and sent plummeting into the ocean. This appears fatal at first glance, butit’s possible that he survived this fall, and he may seek revenge in future sequels. If Proximus manages to salvage any technology from the flooded vault, he could become even more powerful, and his kingdom could develop into an empire.
An emboldened kingdom would spell danger for Eagle Clan and the other tribes in the area, and they could soon spread across the continent and establish an empire.
Even if Proximus didn’t survive his fall, his kingdom could still live on after his death. Many of the apes living in his kingdom are kidnapped tribes being forced to work for him, but he also has an army of loyal followers. His death could inspire a new leader to claim his throne, and they could even use his demise as a point of inspiration to solidify their power. An emboldened kingdom would spell danger for Eagle Clan and the other tribes in the area, and they could soon spread across the continent and establish an empire.
7Chaos Of The Planet Of The Apes
Proximus Caesar’s demise could create a power vacuum
Proximus Caesar’s brutal reign may be over, but this could lead to a period of unrest as the captured tribes fight to regain their independence. There may not be a smooth transition from the kingdom back to the way that things were. If not all the tribes manage to establish their colonies once more, like Eagle Clan, there could be a small army of apes seeking to secure their survival using more violent methods. By adding Proximus Caesar’s wounded army into the mix, there are several groups that are left without any sense of security.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesalready shows that Caesar’s benevolent teachings have either been forgotten or twisted, so an all-out ape civil war is a distinct possibility.
The alternative to Proximus Caesar’s autocratic rule could be even worse.As Noa continues his journey toward becoming a powerful leader, he will face threats that Caesar never could have envisaged in the original reboot trilogy.Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesalready shows that Caesar’s benevolent teachings have either been forgotten or twisted, so an all-out ape civil war is a distinct possibility. The humans, having established contact with another population of survivors, will be gaining power just as the apes lose theirs.
6Beyond The Planet Of The Apes
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes ends with both humans and apes looking up to space
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesteases the franchise’s futurewith its final scene.After parting ways, both Noa and Mae look up to the stars, suggesting that the next sequel could involve space travel. This would pay off a tease fromRise of the Planet of the Apes, which shows a newspaper headline claiming that some human astronauts are lost in space. Hundreds of years after this event, those astronauts may still come back into play, especially if the franchise also includes time travel like some of the earlier movies in the series.
Noa looking through the telescope could be symbolic of the increased ambition among the apes, but it could also be taken more literally.
The humans living in a bunker near Los Angeles appear to have just as much technological expertise as modern humans. If they can communicate across long distances, they may soon be able to conquer the skies too. The apes are more primitive, but Noa shows that they can learn when he repairs the electric staff by himself. Noa looking through the telescope in the final scene could simply be symbolic of the increased ambition among the apes after witnessing the potential of Proximus' kingdom and the secrets of the vault, but it could also be taken more literally.
5Evolution Of The Planet Of The Apes
The struggle between apes and humans could take another turn
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesshowed how far apes had progressed since Caesar’s time. After many generations without any real competition from humans, the apes have developed more complex cultures, building structures, and environmental control. However, the ending ofKingdomsuggests that they may be about to evolve once again. Noa gains a more nuanced understanding of the world around him, and the opening of the vault shows the apes a glimpse of the technological advances that humans managed to make hundreds of years earlier.
The next sequel afterKingdomlooks like it will focus more on Noa’s journey, but there’s a chance it could jump ahead another few hundred years.
Apes show signs inKingdomof grappling with the fundamentals of electricity.Once they master this new technology, it could open up a whole new world of possibilities. The nextsequel afterKingdom of the Planet of the Apeslooks like it will focus more on Noa’s journey, but there’s a chance it could jump ahead another few hundred years, showing the aftermath of Noa and Mae’s journey. Humans and apes may both be more advanced, and the apes could be getting to grips with sci-fi technologies like time travel, gene editing and spacecraft.
4Rebellion For The Planet Of The Apes
Humans could seek to reclaim the planet
TheKingdom of the Planet of the Apescastdoesn’t feature as many human characters as other movies in the franchise, at least until the very end. The only important human characters are Mae, played by Freya Allan, and Trevathan, played by William H. Macy. Their conflict could hint at the future of the franchise. Trevathan tries to convince Mae to let go of the past and eke out whatever kind of comfortable existence she can under the rule of apes. Mae refuses, and by killing Trevathan she symbolically represents humanity’s prevailing philosophy.
OtherPlanet of the Apesmovies frequently show humans as the aggressors, so the next sequel could see a revitalized human population once again taking the fight to the apes.
Rather than hiding in the shadows and trying to survive in peace, the humans inKingdomare desperate to establish contact with other settlements across the country. By growing in power, thehumans could be preparing themselves for a rebellionto take back the planet from the apes. OtherPlanet of the Apesmovies frequently show humans as the aggressors, so the next sequel could see a revitalized human population once again taking the fight to the apes. Noa and Mae’s tumultuous dynamic would suddenly become the focus of all human-ape relations.
3Strength Of The Planet Of The Apes
Noa and Mae could unite to protect their tribes
Whatever happens next in thePlanet of the Apesfranchise, Noa and Mae seem to be at the center. Human characters generally haven’t returned for more than one movie in the reboot era, but Noa and Mae’s final scene together seems more like a temporary goodbye than a permanent farewell. Director Wes Ball has claimed that he sees the two of them as the future of the franchise, even though a sequel has yet to be confirmed. Noa and Mae go through periods of trust and distrust inKingdom.Their relationship could symbolize the large-scale relationship between humans and apes.
Although they don’t end on the best of terms, Noa and Mae form a deep understanding that neither one thought possible initially. They are drawn together by their common enemy, and a sequel could re-use this plot point. If apes and humans do go to war, Noa and Mae could be the ones to show that there is strength in unity. This would also keep Caesar’s legacy alive by alluding to his famous saying:“Apes together strong.“Whether they face a threat from a war or from some other external force, strength will be key for apes and humans to survive.
2Fall Of The Planet Of The Apes
The reboot franchise could come full circle
Koba’s uprising inDawn of the Planet of the Apeswas the first crack in the unity of apes, butKingdomblows this crack wide open.Generations after Caesar’s death, apes are at war with one another, and they have forgotten Caesar’s rule that apes should not kill other apes. This disharmony could bring about the destruction of their fragile world, especially if humans regain some semblance of their former power. By referencing the title ofRise of the Planet of the Apes,the next sequel could cap the reboot saga as a tragedy.
Apes are willing to kill other apes with reckless abandon. Not only that, but they no longer have a sense of collective progress as they did under Caesar.
Proximus Caesar’s raid on the Eagle Clan highlights how apes are willing to kill other apes with reckless abandon. Not only that, but they no longer have a sense of collective progress as they did under Caesar. In an increasingly fractured world, the apes will become more vulnerable to attack, both from humans and from themselves. The decline of ape rule could mirror the social disorganization in some human societies from history, specifically the Roman Empire, which has already been referenced several times in thePlanet of the Apesfranchise.
1Planet Of The Apes
The long-awaited remake could finally become a reality
Ever since the creation of thePlanet of the Apesreboot franchise, the movies have been drawing closer to the events of the original 1968 sci-fi classic. Tim Burton’s 2001 remake was a disappointment, but this new era of the franchise has laid a lot of important groundwork for another potential attempt, and it has built a lot of good faith among fans too. Thetimeline of thePlanet of the Apesfranchisedictates that the prequels should eventually lead up to the events of the original, and a remake with modern visual effects would have huge potential.
One potentially interesting concept for a remake would be to flip the story on its head. Every fan knows the big twist at the end ofPlanet of the Apesby now, and trying to recreate this would inevitably fall flat. However, telling the story of George Taylor’s landing on Earth from the perspective of the apes could be a good way to tell the same story in a new way, while avoiding too many difficult comparisons to the original movie.Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesshows apes at a more advanced stage than they were in Caesar’s time, so they could soon have a society that mirrors the one shown in the original.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
