In 2011, Rise of the Planet of the Apes started a new chapter in the franchise by rebooting the film series and focusing on the story of the legendary ape leader Caesar. In 2017, War for the Planet of the Apes brought Caesar’s story to a conclusion, but the reboot timeline lives on in next summer’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Generations have passed since the time of Caesar, and while the new movies haven’t caught up with the time frame of the original movies yet, the first teaser trailer for Kingdom reveals that humanity is looking more and more like the savages they were in the first Planet of the Apes.
The trailer also introduces viewers to Noa (Owen Teague), the ape who will be the main character in this new era. He’s followed the teachings of Caesar well. However, there’s a new leader, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who has perverted the teachings of his predecessor. This Caesar is doing the unthinkable by attacking and enslaving his fellow apes, all in the name of his unquenchable thirst for power.
Proximus Caesar is also attempting to get his hands on human weapons and technology that were previously lost. In order to stop him, Noa will have to go on a quest with an unlikely ally: a human girl named Mae, as played by The Witcher‘s Freya Allan.
Travis Jeffery, also stars in the film alongside Peter Macon, William H. Macy, Eka Darville, Neil Sandilands, Sara Wiseman, Lydia Peckham, Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi, and Dichen Lachman.
Wes Ball directed the film from a script by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will hit theaters on Friday, May 24, 2024.
