The Planet of the Apes franchise has been quiet since 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, but now we know it’s alive and well. However, it might be going in a different direction than expected. Deadline reports that a new Planet of the Apes movie is in the works at 20th Century Studios, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman at the helm.
According to the report, this will be a new standalone chapter and not a direct sequel to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, odd since that film’s writer Josh Friedman is returning. The original tale is being cooked up by Friedman and Shakman.
So what does this mean about the future of the ‘Apes’ movies under director Wes Ball? Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes set itself apart from the successful trilogy of blockbusters that preceded it, and was meant to be the launch of a new trilogy. Is that over? It certainly looks like it.
To be fair, ‘Kingdom’ earned just $397M, the lowest since the failed reboot attempt in 2001 with Mark Wahlberg. Perhaps that was reason enough for 20th Century Studios to try something else. Whatever the reason, Shakman has a diverse portfolio, with Fantastic Four, WandaVision, and Game of Thrones under his belt, that makes him an intriguing option.
