Summary

• The Planet of the Apes movies have a complex timeline that spans from the original 1968 film to the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in 2024.
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) is the first film in the modern reboot trilogy, and the first movie chronologically.
• 1968's Planet of the Apes arrives in the middle of the franchise's timeline, despite being the first movie released.

From the original Charlton Heston films to the modern prequels, the Planet of the Apes movies have a complex timeline — one made even more intricate by an ill-fated 2001 Tim Burton project and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Based on the novel by French author Pierre Boulle titled Le Planete des singes, the original 1968 Planet of the Apes ranks among the most iconic science fiction films of all time. Across several sequels and reboots, the Planet of the Apes movies have built a continual timeline, though the chronological order doesn't match the order of release.

There are nine Planet of the Apes movies in the timeline so far, with the tenth, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, arriving in 2024. The original Planet of the Apes movies told the story of a future Earth where apes are civilized and humans devolved into a feral state. However, the 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes went back in time to show how apes became the dominant species. The Planet of the Apes movies in chronological order journey from apocalyptic virus survival action to conceptual sci-fi, covering several decades of filmmaking.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Caesar Leads A Rebellion

The first film of the rebooted trilogy is the first of the Planet of the Apes movies in order based on the history of its timeline. Rise gave a unique spin on the Planet of the Apes movie series as it focuses on an ape named Caesar who, after having his intelligence augmented through science experiments, leads an ape rebellion while releasing a virus that brings humanity to its knees.

Critics gave the film positive reviews, praising the performances and screenplay, while the movie got an Oscar nomination for its visual effects.

One of the greatest aspects of this trilogy that started in Rise of the Planet of the Apes was the motion capture technology for Andy Serkis to play the protagonist, Caesar, creating a digital character who felt easy to connect with emotionally and lead the story without relying on the human characters. Critics gave the film positive reviews, praising the performances and screenplay, while the movie got an Oscar nomination for its visual effects.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is available to stream on Hulu.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

The Uneasy Coexistence Between Apes And The Remaining Humans

2014's sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, titled Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, is the next movie chronologically in the Planet of the Apes timeline. The motion capture technology also continued to improve. While the apes may not have been exactly lifelike, their performances felt real, which was essential as the human characters became less of the focus in this world.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is set 10 years after the outbreak of Simian Flu. The human population has been decimated since only 1 in 500 are immune. This sequel showed the ape population continuing to grow more organized and self-aware, while the human population drew closer to extinction. Matt Reeves stepped into the director's chair for the sequel and delivered an action-packed movie with emotional nuance that pushed the franchise forward.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is available to stream on Hulu and Max.

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Humanity's Last Stand Against The Apes