Complete List of All Planet of the Apes Films
The Planet of the Apes franchise includes the 1968 classic and its direct sequels, the 2011 reboot trilogy, and the 2024 crossover film Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The original series ran from 1968 to 1973 and was produced by Arthur P. Jacobs for 20th Century Fox. The modern reboot trilogy, directed by Matt Reeves, began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011 and concluded with War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, released in 2024, was produced by 20th Century Studios and sets a new timeline for the franchise.
The 2024 film marks the first new entry in the franchise after a seven-year gap since War for the Planet of the Apes. It is directed by Wes Ball and produced by 20th Century Studios and Chernin Entertainment. The movie introduces a new generation of apes and shifts the setting to Earth generations after the events of the previous trilogy. The film continues the use of advanced performance capture technology pioneered by Weta Digital for the prior installments.
Box Office Performance and Franchise Economics
Rise of the Planet of the Apes grossed approximately $481 million worldwide, while Dawn of the Planet of the Apes earned around $710 million. War for the Planet of the Apes collected roughly $490 million globally. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, released in 2024, grossed over $360 million worldwide during its theatrical run. These figures place the modern trilogy among the higher-grossing reboot franchises of the 2010s and 2020s.
The production budget for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was reported at approximately $160 million, making it one of the more expensive entries in the franchise. The original 1968 film was made on a modest budget by modern standards and became a cultural phenomenon. The reboot trilogy's budgets ranged from $90 million to $155 million per film. The franchise's consistent profitability has kept 20th Century Studios and Chernin Entertainment actively developing new projects and spinoffs.
Production Companies and Key Creative Teams
20th Century Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, is the primary production and distribution company behind the modern Planet of the Apes films. Chernin Entertainment, founded by Peter Chernin, has been a key production partner for the reboot trilogy and the 2024 film. Original 1968 through 1973 films were produced by Arthur P. Jacobs Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox before the Disney acquisition. The visual effects for the modern films were handled by Weta Digital, which later became Weta FX.
The modern trilogy features Andy Serkis as Caesar, the central ape character, using performance capture technology. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver wrote the screenplays for Rise and Dawn, while Matt Reeves co-wrote and directed Dawn and War. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was written by Josh Friedman and directed by Wes Ball. The franchise's visual effects teams have received multiple Academy Award nominations and wins for their work on the ape characters.
Streaming and Home Media Distribution
Following the Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, the Planet of the Apes films became available on Disney+. The original 1968 film and its sequels are also distributed through various digital platforms and physical media by current rights holders. The modern trilogy remains a flagship example of how performance capture films transition from theatrical to streaming windows