Planet of the Apes (franchise)
Encyclopedia
Planet of the Apes is a United States
media franchise
with seven films (one a remake
, one a reboot), two television series, and comic books. The series began with the 1968 science fiction
film Planet of the Apes
, which was based on the 1963 French
novel La Planète des singes (Monkey Planet or Planet of the Apes) by Pierre Boulle
.
, based on Boulle's original novel premise, and released by 20th Century Fox
. They chronicle the fall of mankind and the rise of intelligent apes through the points of view of astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston
), astronaut John Brent (James Franciscus
), the apes Zira (Kim Hunter
) and Cornelius (Roddy McDowall
), and their ape son Caesar (also played by McDowall).
This was followed by two television series in the 1970s. The live-action series was called Planet of the Apes
, and it takes place approximately 900 years prior to the original Planet of the Apes
film in a civilization where apes are the dominant life form, but humans still have the ability to speak. The animated series was called Return to the Planet of the Apes
, and is completely independent of the film series.
In 2001, a remake
of the original Planet of the Apes
was released. Directed by Tim Burton
, the film featured an entirely new interpretation and state-of-the-art visual effects and makeup for the apes.
In 2011, 20th Century Fox produced a reboot to the original series, called Rise of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Rupert Wyatt
. The film stars James Franco
and tells the story of an ape rebellion on Earth, led by a genetically-altered chimpanzee
named Caesar (Andy Serkis
). It is intended to be the first in a new series of films.
Print
(1968), designed by art director William Creber. Similar spaceships, but with different doors and interiors, appear in Beneath the Planet of the Apes
(1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes
(1971), and the first episode of the Planet of the Apes
(1974) television series. It also makes a cameo via news feed in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Although unnamed in the films and the scripts, the name Icarus, coined by a fan named Larry Evans in 1972, was used by some toy model companies, then later in the Mr. Comics' miniseries Revolution on the Planet of the Apes; however, none of these can be considered "canonical" sources. Evans named the ship after the tragic Greek hero
.
The Forbidden Zone in the Planet of the Apes
movie series is the barren, lifeless area declared off-limits to all apes. While most apes do not know the precise reasons why the area is forbidden, it is generally understood to be a wasteland, one fit only for humans, outlaws, and fools. It is commonly the ruins of New York City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
media franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
with seven films (one a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
, one a reboot), two television series, and comic books. The series began with the 1968 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
, which was based on the 1963 French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
novel La Planète des singes (Monkey Planet or Planet of the Apes) by Pierre Boulle
Pierre Boulle
Pierre Boulle was a French novelist largely known for two famous works, The Bridge over the River Kwai and Planet of the Apes .-Biography:...
.
Background
The original series of five films (1968–1973) were produced by Arthur P. JacobsArthur P. Jacobs
Arthur Jacobs was a twentieth century film producer responsible for numerous classic films of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Planet of the Apes series, Doctor Dolittle, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Play It Again, Sam and Tom Sawyer...
, based on Boulle's original novel premise, and released by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. They chronicle the fall of mankind and the rise of intelligent apes through the points of view of astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
), astronaut John Brent (James Franciscus
James Franciscus
James Grover Franciscus was an American actor, known for his roles in the series The Naked City and The Investigators, and in feature films.-Life and career:...
), the apes Zira (Kim Hunter
Kim Hunter
Kim Hunter was an American film, theatre, and television actress. She won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, each as Best Supporting Actress, for her performance as Stella Kowalski in the 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire...
) and Cornelius (Roddy McDowall
Roddy McDowall
Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude "Roddy" McDowall was an English actor and photographer. His film roles included Cornelius and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes film series...
), and their ape son Caesar (also played by McDowall).
This was followed by two television series in the 1970s. The live-action series was called Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (TV series)
Planet of the Apes was a short-lived American science fiction television series that aired on Friday evenings at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on CBS in 1974. The series starred Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper, and James Naughton, Mark Lenard and Booth Colman...
, and it takes place approximately 900 years prior to the original Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
film in a civilization where apes are the dominant life form, but humans still have the ability to speak. The animated series was called Return to the Planet of the Apes
Return to the Planet of the Apes
Return to the Planet of the Apes is a short-lived animated series, by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in association with 20th Century Fox Television, based upon Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle. Boulle's novel had previously been adapted in a series of movies, beginning with the 1968 Planet of the...
, and is completely independent of the film series.
In 2001, a remake
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
of the original Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
was released. Directed by Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
, the film featured an entirely new interpretation and state-of-the-art visual effects and makeup for the apes.
In 2011, 20th Century Fox produced a reboot to the original series, called Rise of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Rupert Wyatt
Rupert Wyatt
Rupert Wyatt is a British writer and film director. His debut film was The Escapist, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008...
. The film stars James Franco
James Franco
James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
and tells the story of an ape rebellion on Earth, led by a genetically-altered chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
named Caesar (Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
). It is intended to be the first in a new series of films.
Films
| Film | Release date | Rating | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planet of the Apes Planet of the Apes (1968 film) Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison... (1968) |
89% | 32,589,624 | |
| Beneath the Planet of the Apes Beneath the Planet of the Apes Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs... |
41% | 18,999,718 | |
| Escape from the Planet of the Apes Escape from the Planet of the Apes Escape from the Planet of the Apes, directed by Don Taylor, is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Ricardo Montalbán. It is the third of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, the second being Beneath the... |
78% | 12,348,905 | |
| Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is a 1972 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fourth of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs. It explores how the apes rebelled from mankind's ill treatment following Escape from the Planet of... |
44% | 9,043,472 | |
| Battle for the Planet of the Apes Battle for the Planet of the Apes Battle for the Planet of the Apes is a 1973 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and last entry in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P... |
38% | 8,844,595 | |
| Planet of the Apes Planet of the Apes (2001 film) Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the... (2001) |
45% | 362,211,740 | |
| Rise of the Planet of the Apes | 82% | 453,110,372 |
Television
- Planet of the ApesPlanet of the Apes (TV series)Planet of the Apes was a short-lived American science fiction television series that aired on Friday evenings at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on CBS in 1974. The series starred Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper, and James Naughton, Mark Lenard and Booth Colman...
(1974) - Return to the Planet of the ApesReturn to the Planet of the ApesReturn to the Planet of the Apes is a short-lived animated series, by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in association with 20th Century Fox Television, based upon Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle. Boulle's novel had previously been adapted in a series of movies, beginning with the 1968 Planet of the...
(1975) (episodes)
- La Planète des singes, (Monkey Planet or Planet of the Apes, 1963)
- Planet of the Apes: The Fall
- Planet of the Apes comic books
- Conspiracy of the Planet of the ApesConspiracy of the Planet of the ApesConspiracy of the Planet of the Apes is a 2011 illustrated novel by Andrew E. C. Gaska which is set at the same universe as the iconic Planet of the Apes. It is an alternate view of the movie and mainly takes place from the viewpoint of the character Landon...
Icarus
Icarus is a name for the spacecraft in Planet of the ApesPlanet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
(1968), designed by art director William Creber. Similar spaceships, but with different doors and interiors, appear in Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes is a 1970 American science fiction film directed by Ted Post and written by Paul Dehn. It is the second of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs...
(1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes, directed by Don Taylor, is a 1971 science fiction film starring Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Ricardo Montalbán. It is the third of five films in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, the second being Beneath the...
(1971), and the first episode of the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (TV series)
Planet of the Apes was a short-lived American science fiction television series that aired on Friday evenings at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on CBS in 1974. The series starred Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper, and James Naughton, Mark Lenard and Booth Colman...
(1974) television series. It also makes a cameo via news feed in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Although unnamed in the films and the scripts, the name Icarus, coined by a fan named Larry Evans in 1972, was used by some toy model companies, then later in the Mr. Comics' miniseries Revolution on the Planet of the Apes; however, none of these can be considered "canonical" sources. Evans named the ship after the tragic Greek hero
Icarus
-Space and astronomy:* Icarus , on the Moon* Icarus , a planetary science journal* 1566 Icarus, an asteroid* IKAROS, a interplanetary unmanned spacecraft...
.
Forbidden Zone
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
movie series is the barren, lifeless area declared off-limits to all apes. While most apes do not know the precise reasons why the area is forbidden, it is generally understood to be a wasteland, one fit only for humans, outlaws, and fools. It is commonly the ruins of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.