With 10 Planet of the Apes films now released in the iconic sci-fi franchise that spans centuries of in-universe time, it’s fair to wonder if the earlier films are essential viewing. Thanks to some clever time-warping plot lines, the original five Planet of the Apes movies are broken into two branched timelines. The first two movies (Planet of the Apes and Beneath the Planet of the Apes) technically operate on a separate timeline from the “Caesar Trilogy” (Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and Battle for the Planet of the Apes).

The overarching Planet of the Apes timeline is theoretically linked, with the reboot movies acting as a functional prequel to the original movies. While 1968’s Planet of the Apes is set in the year 3978, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is set in the very near future, and plants the seeds that lead to the Earth changing into the ape-dominated world seen in Planet of the Apes nearly 2000 years in the future. With such a connection, it’s fair to wonder if a viewer needs to watch the original movies before diving into the modern reboot movies.

You Don’t Have To Watch The Original Planet Of The Apes Films Before The Modern

The Reboot Movies Are Set Before The Events Of The Originals

The minds behind the reboot Planet of the Apes movies wisely set the franchise up for success by kicking things off with the origin point of the futuristic planet of the original movies. As a result, the two branches of movies are not dependent on one another. While the reboot movies may still lead to a similar outcome, with ape society advancing to near-modern human standards, through four movies they are still seemingly hundreds if not thousands of years away from that future.

The reboot movies could even operate on a completely separate timeline, as the original incident that allowed apes to come to power was not a nuclear war, but rather a virus that simultaneously caused humans to devolve and apes to become incredibly intelligent. While it’s possible they are still progressing towards a nuclear war that reintroduces the original concept, it seems unlikely. Either way, the reboot movies are also set so far in advance of the events of the original movies that they don’t require a viewer to have seen the originals to fully understand and appreciate the new movies.

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Is Both A Prequel To And A Reboot Of The Original Films

It Lays The Groundwork For The Future-Set Earlier Films

The new movies were originally intended to serve dual purposes. The first was to rejoin the franchise at a new point in the franchise’s timeline, while the second was to provide a fresh origin to a well-worn narrative. As both a prequel and a reboot, the new movies provide an avenue for fans of the original movies to have an ongoing stake in the franchise while still being enticing to a new generation of moviegoers who may only be loosely aware of the Planet of the Apes franchise as a pop culture touchpoint.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes accomplished both goals particularly well. The movie’s story was engaging and exciting, making it an entertaining sci-fi adventure even if you had no knowledge of the franchise whatsoever going in. It established Andy Serkis’ Caesar as a protagonist that audiences could easily connect with, providing a fresh new hero for the franchise. At the same time, it made it clear throughout that it was indeed an origin story for the narrative that audiences were already familiar with, and included enough references to entertain those who loved the original movies.

The New Planet Of The Apes Movies Are Full Of Easter Eggs & Connections To The Originals

There Is No Evidence The Two Timelines Will Connect Yet

Those references to the original movies are exactly what keep the possibility of the two branches of the timeline eventually connecting. There are many character names that match up with those in the original movies (ex. Caesar, Nova, Cornelius), the occasional repeated quote, and some major plot points referenced. The most significant of the latter is the ongoing coverage of a lost space expedition that occurs in newspapers and news programs in the background of certain scenes in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

It’s very clear that they’re referencing George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his doomed crew from the original Planet of the Apes movie. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes makes further references to space travel and technology, indicating that the prospect of the reboot movies linking up with the original pentalogy is still alive. However, there is no direct evidence that the two timelines will eventually link up yet, likely because as soon as they do, the prospect of more movies becomes less appealing. The franchise is profitable enough that it benefits everyone to keep the door open for more.

There’s Only One Planet Of The Apes Movie That Doesn’t Tie Into Any Of The Other Films

Tim Burton’s 2001 Version Attempted To Remake The Original Movie

Prior to the new reboot movies, an attempt was made to restart the franchise with a remake of the original movie. In 2001, 20th Century Fox released a movie of the same name directed by Tim Burton and starring Mark Wahlberg, which was a modest box office success given its sky-high (at the time) budget. It grossed over $360 million on a budget of $100 million, and while a sequel was originally thought to be in the works, middling reviews and Burton’s own disinterest in returning to the franchise eventually sunk the prospect of properly restarting the franchise.

Burton’s Planet of the Apes was a true remake of the original, following a somewhat similar overall plot about a near-future astronaut falling through a time warp and landing on a planet controlled entirely by an advanced ape species. There were some changes to the overall structure, along with a twist ending that completely turned the time and space travel aspect on its head. However, it was clearly intended to be a starting point for the Planet of the Apes concept, just as the original movie was.

As a result, the 2001 remake is not involved with either of the other two connected movie series in the franchise. It remains to be seen if the reboot movies, including the new Caesar trilogy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, wind up connecting to a new version of the original Planet of the Apes movie. Whether that comes to pᴀss or not, the original pentalogy and the modern reboot movies can be enjoyed independently.

Planet of the Apes

Created by

Pierre Boulle

First Film

Planet of the Apes

First TV Show

Planet of the Apes

Cast

Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, Linda Harrison, Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Tim Roth, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, James Franco, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow, Freida Pinto, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jason Clarke, Toby Kebbell, Judy Greer, Woody Harrelson, Amiah Miller, Kevin Durand, Dichen Lachman, William H. Macy, Owen Teague, Freya Allan

TV Show(s)

Planet of the Apes, Return to the Planet of the Apes

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