HBO Max Users Only Have 3 Days To Watch the Best Sci-Fi Reboot Ever Made (That Started a Masterpiece Trilogy)

Despite all the fear around anyone daring to ruin Back To The Future, there are a surprising number of sci-fi reboots and remakes that surpassed the originals. Cronenberg’s The Fly, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers are both genuine classics, while Battlestar Galactica‘s revival on TV was an all-timer. But few rebooted timelines have managed to match the longevity and consistency of the Planet of the Apes reboot series.

Sadly for HBO Max users, a little over a week after its sequel was removed from the platform, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is set to leave the service on December 7 (according to JustWatch). There can sometimes be late reprieves for movies leaving, but this one seems unlikely. So if you’re looking for a great sci-fi to watch this weekend, now’s the perfect chance to rewatch Rupert Wyatt’s modern classic.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Kicked Off The Greatest Modern Sci-Fi Trilogy

It may not be as good as Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but Rise… set the pattern for the rebooted franchise, and with its first two sequels, it’s hard to argue against the idea of it as a masterpiece series. Those three movies, of course, told the story of Andy Serkis’ Caesar, in the first age of the Apes, before the time jump of 300 years for 2024’s Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes starts low-key and slow-burns its way to a particularly pertinent scientific horror story for our times as scientific over-reach and a pandemic herald a nightmarish world of change. All the while, though, Rise… maintains a surprisingly hopeful spirit, by presenting Caesar as the hero and his rebellion as a just one. Yes, there are benevolent humans, but we are the villains of the piece, which the subsequent movies obviously expanded upon beautifully. All of the ideas of Reeves’ sequels were born here, and it may be sacriligeous to say, but Rise… arguably gave this rebooted timeline a stronger start than the original Planet of the Apes did for its uneven sequels.

Read Next

10 Best Planet of the Apes Characters (And Three Are Human)

Where You Can Watch The Other Planet of the Apes Movies

While HBO Max won’t have them any more, both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes are still available on one major streaming service together. Both are on Hulu (and thus Disne+ for a lot of users). HBO Max users will continue to have exclusive access to War for the Planet of the Apes and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. So to watch the full reboot series, you’ll need two subscriptions for now.

As for the old movies, Charlton Heston’s Planet of the Apes isn’t on a major streamer currently, but is on IndieFlix, which only costs $4.99 a month. If you’re so inclined, Tim Burton’s remake is also currently available on Hulu. First two original sequels Beneath The Planet of the Apes and Escape from the Planet of the Apes aren’t streaming, but can be rented. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes is listed as free to stream on Plex, while Battle for the Planet of the Apes is also only available to rent or buy. In short, you’ll have a lot more joy with the rebooted movies and the divisive 2011 remake.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!