Our first Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer is here and shows a new post-apocalyptic world to fall in love with. It also promises a release date of May 24, 2024.
This brief look at the latest in the Planet of the Apes reboot series introduces a new story following the conclusion of the original reboot trilogy with War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. That means more than six years have gone by since our last adventure in the animal-filled version of Earth, but this first trailer makes it seem as though the long wait will be worth it. As the video’s YouTube description reminds us, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place in the same universe as the previous three films but takes place long after their events transpired. That means new characters and new struggles to come to grips with. Audiences should also note that Matt Reeves, who directed the last two entries in the franchise, did not return for this new film, with Maze Runner trilogy head Wes Ball taking over to direct instead.
“Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic, franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows,” a description for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes says. “As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.”
Related: Wes Ball Teases ‘Exciting’ Continuation for Next Planet of the Apes Film
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stars Owen Teague (The Stand, It), Freya Allen (The Witcher), Kevin Durand (Locke & Key), Peter Macon (Shameless), and William H. Macy (Fargo). Today’s trailer makes it clear that its events will introduce a world where humanity has been almost completely forgotten. However, some humans show up in the footage, with one young girl seemingly playing a larger role in the story overall. We’re in full Planet of the Apes territory here, though it doesn’t seem as though this timeline has completely caught up to the kind of future promised in the original movie that started it all.
You can watch the first Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer below. Until there’s more to share, be sure to stay tuned for updates.
