Planet of the Apes Movie Series List
The Planet of the Apes franchise includes multiple film series produced by 20th Century Studios and its predecessors, with the core saga spanning from 1968 to 2017. The original series ran from 1968 to 1973 and was followed by a reboot series starting in 2011, both based on Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel Planet of the Apes. The reboot trilogy, directed by Matt Reeves, is widely cited as the highest-grossing run in the franchise and modernized the ape characters through performance capture technology.
20th Century Studios, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company since 2019, controls the distribution and licensing of the Planet of the Apes film catalog. The studio has released the movies theatrically and later on streaming via Disney+ in select regions. The franchise generated billions in global box office revenue, with the reboot trilogy alone earning over $2 billion worldwide according to industry tracking sources Forbes.
Planet of the Apes TV Series and Animated Projects
Television adaptations include the 1974 live-action series Planet of the Apes, which ran for 14 episodes on CBS, and the 1975 animated series Return to the Planet of the Apes produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. Both series expand the lore beyond the films and are considered part of the broader franchise list by fan and reference databases IMDb.
In recent years, streaming platforms have explored new Planet of the Apes content, with development updates reported by major entertainment outlets. While no new live-action TV series has been officially greenlit as of the latest public announcements, animated and limited-series concepts remain in discussion at studios linked to the franchise Deadline.
How to Watch the Planet of the Apes Series in Order
The recommended viewing order starts with the 1968 original Planet of the Apes, followed by its four sequels, then the 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, its 2014 sequel Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and the 2017 finale War for the Planet of the Apes. The TV series can be watched separately as standalone expansions, and streaming availability varies by region, with Disney+ hosting the reboot films in many territories Disney+.
Rankings from major review aggregators consistently place the reboot trilogy among the top sci-fi franchises of the 2010s, with War for the Planet of the Apes frequently cited as the highest-rated entry. The original 1968 film remains a landmark in American cinema and is preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress Library of Congress.