The movie Planet of the Apes has become very popular since its first release in 1968. The science fiction that explores the relationship between humans and primates in a different way caught the public's attention and became a very popular franchise in pop culture. The film saga has gone through several phases and we are currently at the most recent with the release of "Planet of the Apes: Reign". How about taking advantage of the release to discover the history of Planet of the Apes in chronological order?
This article will help you discover the right way to watch Planet of the Apes, combining the classic films from the 1970s with the current ones that explore the origin of this universe. It's time to learn the correct chronology and revisit the films, marathoning the franchise the right way!
Planet of the Apes: The Origin (2011)
This is the first Planet of the Apes movie in chronological order, even though it was only released in 2011. As the name suggests, Planet of the Apes: The Origin tells the story that started the saga. Here, the first chimpanzee to develop intelligence and emotional understanding is called Cesar and was created in a laboratory. Despite having a good initial relationship with humans, it is here that humanity begins to be put at risk by the emergence of this intelligent species.
Planet of the Apes: The Origin is set in the present, on an Earth with technological gadgets and scientific advances. The cast includes big names such as James FrancoThe film stars John Lithgow, Brian Cox and Freida Pinto, as well as Andy Serkis, who played several apes. The 2011 film was well received by critics, scoring 7.6 on IMDb and is available on Disney+.
Planet of the Apes: Confrontation (2014)
With the same score on IMDB (7.6), Planet of the Apes: Confrontation continues the saga, with its events taking place 10 years after the start of the confrontation between humans and primates in the first film. Here, we follow a group of human survivors of the Simian Flu, who have to face the new generation of evolved apes, originated by Caesar, who have established their colony on the outskirts of San Francisco.
The film was released in 2014 and features a cast including Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell and Toby Kebbell, as well as being directed by Matt Reeves (from The Batman). The standard of quality was maintained, despite the fact that the film relied heavily on CGI to bring the primates to life, which led to good reviews from critics. To watch Planet of the Apes in chronological order, it needs to be the second movie on your list and is available on Disney+.
Planet of the Apes: The War (2017)
The third Planet of the Apes film in chronological order was released in 2017 and follows Caesar, the leader of the apes, as his group organizes to fight the humans again. On the human side, their leader is a violent and cruel colonel, who dictates the course of the story and brings a sense of revenge to Caesar.
Now the franchise has new actors, Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn, but remains under the direction of Matt Reeves. This was supposed to be the movie that ended the trilogy of recent films and set the stage for the start of Planet of the Apes (1968), but the popularity and high box office figures meant that a sequel was planned. Planet of the Apes: War is available on Disney+ and has an IMDb score of 7.4.
Planet of the Apes: The Reign (2024)
Released this year (2024), Planet of the Apes: Reign is the most recent movie on this list and is set in the future, where we follow yet another evolution of the primates. This time they have developed to the point of giving rise to various societies, which takes some of them away from the initial ideals of Caesar, their leader. We see apes enslaving their peers in an attempt to gain access to human technology, while a young woman appears in the plot and could be the key to changing the course of the two groups.
With Owen Teague, Freya Allan and Kevin Durand in its cast, this is the fourth Planet of the Apes movie in chronological order and, despite exploring more of the saga's universe, it didn't score as well as the first three. With a score of 6.9, Planet of the Apes: Reign is available on Disney+.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
We've reached the first film in the franchise and the fifth Planet of the Apes movie in chronological order, which was responsible for drawing attention to the science fiction genre back in the 70s. This movie takes place many years after all the conflicts we saw in our list, where an astronaut lands on a planet inhabited by rational apes... A planet where humans are enslaved by apes and have to fight for their freedom!
The movie is known for its surprising ending, with an ingenious twist that changed the course of the story in its final moments. The cast includes Charlton Heston in the lead role and the screenplay by Rod Serling was critically acclaimed and scored 8.0 on IMDb. To watch the classic Planet of the Apes, simply subscribe to Disney+.
Back to the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Following on from our list of Planet of the Apes in chronological order is Back to the Planet of the Apes, from 1970. This movie shows us the attempt to rescue the astronaut from the first movie, where we follow another astronaut who crosses the space-time rift to find the primate planet. The apes are becoming more and more evolved, communicating by telepathy and in this context we discover an atomic bomb capable of destroying the entire planet.
With James Franciscus as the new protagonist, Back to the Planet of the Apes has a very average rating, with a 6.0 on IMDb. The 1970 film is on Disney+.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
In Escape from the Planet of the Apes we have a slightly different perspective from what has been presented so far. In this sequel to the franchise, two primate scientists go back in time and return to the 20th century, in downtown Los Angeles. Humans see these two creatures as mysterious beings, with a lot of curiosity, since these primates can communicate perfectly. However, as the movie develops, the two become a government threat that needs to be contained.
This is the seventh Planet of the Apes movie in chronological order and has an IMDb score of 6.3. The actors involved are Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter and Bradford Dillman, with Don Taylor directing and a script by Paul Dehn and Pierre Boulle. Escape from the Planet of the Apes can be watched on Disney+.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes follows the son of the two primate scientists who starred in the previous film, where the apes became domestic animals. This ape is called Caesar and he leads a rebellion against humanity, very similar to what we see in the more recent prequel films. The human oppressors will once again encounter a revolt led by apes.
Released in 1972, this is the eighth Planet of the Apes movie in chronological order and features Roddy McDowall, Don Murray and Ricardo Montalban in its cast, as well as new direction from J. Lee Thompson. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is available on Disney+ and has an IMDb score of 6.1.
Battle of the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Despite starting a confrontation in the previous movie, Caesar believes that it is necessary to maintain peace between primates and humans, but many apes don't agree with this alliance and start a civil war among themselves. Meanwhile, the humans who survived the pandemic and the battles of the previous film are trying to regain control of planet Earth.
Despite being the last of the Planet of the Apes in chronological order, this 1973 film was not positively received by critics or the public, being the production in the franchise with the lowest score on IMDb (5.4). Starring Roddy McDowall, Claude Akins and Natalie Trundy and directed by J. Lee Thompson, Battle of the Planet of the Apes is available on Disney+.
This science fiction franchise has come a long way since its first movie in 1968 to the most recent one in 2024. Despite the order of release, the chronological order of the story is different and, to follow the experience of marathoning Planet of the Apes in chronological order, just follow our tips and our list!
If you like movies and are a big fan of sagas, be sure to check out our other articles such as what is the order of the After films to watch correctly e Zendaya's 9 best movies and TV shows!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which movie in the franchise was best received by critics?
The most critically acclaimed film in the Planet of the Apes franchise is "Planet of the Apes" (1968). It was praised for its direction, visual and practical effects, as well as the actors' performances. Another highly acclaimed film is "Planet of the Apes: The Origin" (2011), which also received positive reviews and is considered an excellent introduction to the modern trilogy.
What is the relationship between the films in the original franchise and the films in the new trilogy?
The connection between the classic films of the first franchise and the more recent ones lies in the narrative, the theme and the connections they both establish.
Both franchises explore issues such as evolution, human nature, scientific ethics and oppression between different beings. The new wave of films delves deeper into these themes, focusing on the rise of the apes and the fall of human civilization, explaining how this came about and how the planet of the apes we saw in the 1968 film originated.
