Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Starts Production in Australia

The reign of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has begun in Australia. Disney and 20th Century's latest chapter in the rebooted Planet of the Apes saga has started production at Disney Studios Australia, formerly Fox Studios Australia, in Sydney, New South Wales, Variety reports. Filming at the studio, where Disney's Marvel Studios shot superhero blockbusters Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Thor: Love and Thunder, is part of a deal granting Kingdom $10.8 million from the Australian government and funding through Screen NSW's Made In NSW fund.

The follow-up to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes and its two sequels, 2014's Matt Reeves-directed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes, this next chapter picks up many years after the era of Caesar (Andy Serkis) in War. Directed by Wes Ball (Fox's The Maze Runner trilogy), Kingdom stars Owen Teague (IT) as the lead ape Cornelius, Freya Allen (The Witcher), Peter Macon (The Orville), Eka Darville (Jessica Jones), and Kevin Durand (The Strain).

"Planet of the Apes is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history, as well as being an indelible part of our studio's legacy," Steve Asbell, President 20th Century Studios, said in a statement. "With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, we are privileged to continue the series' tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema, and can't wait to share Wes' extraordinary vision for this new chapter with audiences in 2024."

Josh Friedman (Avatar: The Way of Water) wrote the script, which is also credited to Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), and Patrick Aison (Hulu and Fox's Prey). Jaffa and Silver, who served as producers on the recent Apes trilogy, are producing with Joe Hartwick Jr. (The Maze Runner trilogy). The executive producers are Peter Chernin (Netflix's Fear Street trilogy, Apple TV+'s See) and Jenno Topping (Hidden Figures, Ford v Ferrari).

Last month, Disney's 20th Century Studios revealed the first look at Kingdom, which is the 10th film overall in the long-running franchise inspired by the 1963 novel by Pierre Boulle. The films have collectively grossed nearly $2 billion at the worldwide box office since the release of the Charlton Heston-starring original 1968 Planet of the Apes.

Disney and 20th Century Studios have slated Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to release in theaters in 2024.