Planet Of The Apes' Next Movie Is Changing Main Characters & It Doesn't Really Make Sense
Published Oct 17, 2026, 8:55 AM EDT
Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release.
He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years.
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Planet of the Apes is going to switch main characters with its next movie due to a surprising and confusing decision. The all-time great sci-fi franchise has not been afraid to introduce new leads throughout the nearly 60 years of stories that encompass this universe. The originals split their focus between Cornelius and Caesar, while the modern saga, led by Andy Serkis, kept Caesar as the undisputed lead.
But after Caesar's death in War for the Planet of the Apes, the franchise was forced to go in a new direction again. This led Disney to progress the universe centuries into the future for its 2024 relaunch, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Rather than follow one of Caesar's children as they navigate the apes' takeover without their father, Kingdom shifted the primate focus to Noa, while Mae was introduced as a human lead.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes proved to be a rather strong return for the franchise after seven years away. More importantly, Noa and Mae were established as fascinating and complex characters, with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' ending setting the stage for a rich new saga exploring their relationship and what it could mean for the future of apes and humans.
With positive reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a solid box office ($397 million worldwide), Noa and Mae's story looked primed to continue. However, that is not the direction Disney and 20th Century Studios are taking the franchise, leaving Planet of the Apes' newest main characters behind for something else entirely.
The Next Planet Of The Apes Movie Won't Be A Kingdom Sequel
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was made with the intent of launching a new trilogy, with 20th Century's boss Steve Asbell saying months after its debut that a sequel could arrive in 2027. However, development on a sequel never really moved forward. A writer was never officially tasked with penning a follow-up script, while Wes Ball went off to make a live-action The Legend of Zelda.
Disney has instead chosen to essentially reboot Planet of the Apes again. It was announced in May that The Fantastic Four: First Steps' director Matt Shakman was working with Kingdom's screenwriter Josh Friedman to develop a new entry. It was reported that the new Planet of the Apes "will not be a continuation" of Kingdom and instead "a new original story."
The announcement made it clear that Disney wants to still use the Planet of the Apes IP but not make a sequel to Kingdom, at least not right now. This means that there will be a whole new cast and characters at the center of the next installment, with Noa and Mae unlikely to factor into what comes next.
Asbell did offer some hope that Planet of the Apes' new movie could still be connected to Kingdom in some fashion. In a since-deleted post on X (via IGN), he quoted a post about the Shakman movie's development and said, "I guess it depends on how you define 'continuation?'" This suggests the film may still be tied to Kingdom's continuity, but it still suggests a mostly new vision, story, and characters will be featured.
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Deserves A Sequel
Disney's decision to make a new Planet of the Apes that isn't a direct Kingdom sequel is disheartening. The prior movie took its time building Noa and Mae up to be pivotal characters for the future, with each having to make big decisions by the end. Them going their separate ways and the teased collision course they are once again on is the foundation for an excellent new adventure.
It would be a real shame if Noa and Mae never get the chance to return. Owen Teague and Freya Allan did an amazing job bringing them both to life, with Teague having the seemingly impossible job of replacing Serkis. There is too much potential and exciting possibilities for what Planet of the Apes' future could be by returning to these main characters.
Hopefully, that is done after a quick pit stop to making Shakman's film. Disney and 20th Century have never said that Kingdom won't get a proper sequel going forward now. The studios could have even gone in this new direction out of a need to wait for Ball's duties on Legend of Zelda to conclude. As long as Shakman's Planet of the Apes movie proves to be another strong performer, the hope for a Kingdom sequel will prevail, especially if the new film is connected to it in any way.
Planet Of The Apes Risks Being A Rare Misstep
If that doesn't happen, Planet of the Apes could become an outlier for Disney. After acquiring 20th Century in 2019, Disney has prioritized rebooting or reviving Fox's biggest franchises. Planet of the Apes was treated like Alien, Predator, Avatar, and Fantastic Four as properties Disney wanted to bring back first.
In each of the other cases, Disney has found a lot of success. Alien: Romulus breathed new life into the sci-fi series. Prey paved the way for multiple new Predator projects. Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash showed that interest is still high in James Cameron's franchise. The Fantastic Four: First Steps became the biggest and best film with those characters, and Marvel Studios is hoping for the same when X-Men comes in 2028.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' reception and performance made it look like another win for Disney in this department. Veering away from what worked to tell a different story is a risk. Audiences may not want to have to follow another new ape lead only a few years after meeting Noa. That said, the new Planet of the Apes could also be even bigger by offering another chance for new viewers to get invested in this franchise.
Why There's Still Hope For POTA
As disappointing as it is that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' setup sequel isn't the franchise's priority, it would be a mistake to think that the franchise's best days are behind it. This has proven to be one of the most resilient IPs in all of Hollywood, with Kingdom the latest reminder that audiences have really taken to the sci-fi films since being brought back in 2011.
The new Planet of the Apes has a strong creative team attached that should help breathe some more excitement into the future. Shakman proved with WandaVision and The Fantastic Four: First Steps that he is more than capable of jumping into an established universe and putting a unique spin on what audiences have come to expect. The retro quality of both MCU projects makes him an especially intriguing fit for Planet of the Apes, depending on the exact direction his film takes.
The best outcome at this point is that Shakman's movie proves to be so successful that Disney doesn't hesitate to double down on the series. Making this new Planet of the Apes can be a springboard to a whole new trilogy potentially and give the studios faith to bring Noa and Mae back for a true Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel. After all, the 2024 movie teased just how expansive the universe could become if audiences' appetite is big enough.
Video Game(s) Planet of the Apes, Revenge of the Apes, Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes
Created by Pierre Boulle
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