In a galaxy far, far away, where apes reign supreme, director Wes Ball appears to be planning on revolutionizing the Planet of the Apes franchise by transforming it into a sprawling sci-fi saga akin to Star Wars. Going bigger and better with each film, shooting for the stars seems to be the only possibility awaiting the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel.
Although the plan hasn’t been officially confirmed, it seems the only possible outcome, considering how the concept of space and extraterrestrial happenings has been a recurring part of the Planet of the Apes franchise. Further, considering Wes Ball’s desire to steer the franchise towards the 1968 original movie, a route through the cosmos seems the only way.
While this might be a far-fetched dream, a closer look at the franchise’s trajectory and Ball’s vision could determine whether this audacious plan would pay off or ruin the franchise.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Sequel Might be Aiming for the Stars
Building upon the rich lore established in the Planet of the Apes film series, Wes Ball delivered the 10th entry to the 56-year-old franchise. With each installment going bigger and better, Ball’s 2024 sequel released on May 10, blew people’s minds and kept the audiences consistently at the edge of their seats.
But now, following the release of the fourth sequel in the rebooted film series that began with Rupert Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, fans are wondering where exactly the current continuity is going to eventually lead us.
Given that Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 original Planet of the Apes movie narrated the tale of an astronaut traveling through time to land in a far future ape civilization, people are curious to know if Wes Ball is planning on a similar directive.
Since each Planet of the Apes movie, following the 1968 installment played with the concept of space, fans believe the film series might finally end up with a Star Wars-like narrative. Tim Burton’s 2001 reboot, conveniently showed the Oberon space station near Saturn before Leo was pulled through an electromagnetic storm.
Similarly, even Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes showed Noa and Mae gazing through a telescope, wherein Noa became fascinated by the solar system and became obsessed with Saturn.
Thus, with each passing movie improving the narrative for the Planet of the Apes franchise, Wes Ball might be planning to shoot for the stars quite literally, with his next installment. Coming up with a whacky yet intriguing narrative, fans assume that Ball might just take his next film galactic.
Wes Ball Confirmed on Edging Closer to the Events of the 1968 Installment
Perhaps, Wes Ball is actually planning on steering the franchise towards the original Planet of the Apes storyline. During a conversation with Den of Geek, the filmmaker actually addressed his subtle ideas on ultimately navigating the franchise towards Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 story of astronaut George Taylor’s (Charlton Heston) arrival in the year 3978.
The truth is that we have these three Caesar films behind us. We’re starting from there. But way off in the distance is that Charlton Heston ’68 version. It’s a long way to get there. There’s plenty more stories to tell before we ever get there, but that is what’s in our sights.
Considering Wes Ball’s idea of gradually taking the franchise towards its original storyline of venturing into outer space, it seems to be the reason why the previous Planet of the Apes movies have been paying subtle tributes to the 1968 installment. Take Rupert Wyatt’s 2011 movie, it’s offered a nod to the Icarus space shuttle from the original Planet of the Apes.
Further, even Wes Ball’s 2024 sequel mirrored the hunt scene from Franklin J. Schaffner’s movie. Although during the interview with the outlet, Ball seemed reluctant to suggest if they’re ready to retell Schaffner’s original story, yet, fans believe the 1968 installment is what they are chasing towards.
The Possible Outcome of Wes Ball’s Whacky Star Wars-like Sequel
Therefore, since Wes Ball mentioned how there’s still time and other storylines to explore before venturing into the cosmos following the original Planet of the Apes movie, we believe the next Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel might get deeper into a Star Wars-like storyline. Expanding the scope of the series, Ball’s next movie might embark on a quest to outer space.
While it might be an audacious twist that holds great risks, Wes Ball’s bold direction could open the door to a myriad of thrilling possibilities from interstellar conflicts to mind-bending cosmic mysteries. Although the outcome could either propel the franchise to new heights or spell its downfall, before even taking the franchise toward its original storyline, Ball’s visionary sequel holds great potential.
Only time will tell whether Wes Ball’s visionary sequel will become the next cultural phenomenon or face the daunting task of living up to its legacy.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is running in theaters worldwide.
