When it comes to the most influential sci-fi releases that popularised space operas, Star Wars is often the obvious pick, which broke industry records upon debuting back in 1977. Others would argue it’s Frank Herbert’s Dune, which hit the shelves back in 1965 and ended up revolutionizing the sci-fi landscape, serving as an inspiration for George Lucas’ Star Wars.
But while Dune was indeed a monumental success, it was Charlton Heston’s Planet of the Apes that laid the foundation for space operas on the silver screen.
Planet of the Apes Laid the Foundation for Space Operas on the Silver Screen
Long before Star Wars took the world by storm and David Lynch‘s Dune made its way to the theatres in 1984, 1968 saw Planet of the Apes making its debut on the silver screen. While A Space Odyssey was the biggest sci-fi epic to hit the screens in 1968, a week prior to its release, the Planet of the Apes opened to critical and commercial success.
While its number was nothing on the likes of what A New Hope would go on to become, Charlton Heston stressed that it broke new grounds in sci-fi, creating the space opera genre. In his autobiography (via Looper), Heston explained that while such stories had “been a staple of the comic strips and Saturday morning kiddie TV”, Hollywood was against adapting them for a long time. But following the success of the Planet of the Apes, the Ben-Hur star explained that it ended up creating a new subdivision in the sci-fi landscape.
He said:
“It not only grossed enormous numbers, it created a new film genre: the space opera. Fantasies set in outer space had long been a staple of the comic strips and Saturday morning kiddie TV, but had been disdained by Hollywood.”
As technology further advanced in the following years, space operas would cement themselves as the next big thing, with Star Wars becoming one of the biggest IPs to emerge from this genre.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Hits New Franchise Record
But before George Lucas’ Star Wars took the world by storm, Planet of the Apes saw a plethora of sequels after the success of the 1968 film. However, all of the three films succeeding the first one failed to replicate the original’s success, leading to the IP being put on ice for decades.
Fast forward to the 2010s, the IP was revived, thanks to Rupert Wyatt, who directed the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was followed by two acclaimed sequels, led by Matt Reeves. And with the new installment around the corner, the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has set a franchise record with its 145-minute runtime, becoming the longest entry in the franchise.
With Wes Ball behind the new film, fans will hope The Maze Runner director’s take on the IP won’t fall short of the modern trilogy.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will hit theatres on 5 August 2011.
Planet of the Apes is available to rent on Apple TV.
