Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Changes Release Date

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is shifting its release date. The newest installment in 20th Century Studios' rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise was originally scheduled to screen in theaters on May 24th. However, the studio announced on Friday that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will now open two weeks earlier on May 10th. This moves Planet of the Apes away from the crowded Memorial Day weekend, which sees the releases of Warner Bros.' Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Sony's The Garfield Movie. On May 10th, there won't be any competition, which should mean a larger box office for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Another plus for the 20th Century Studios film is these extra two weeks of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes guarantee more IMAX screenings, which typically cost more than the standard movie ticket, equally more revenue. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be the first film in the franchise to screen in IMAX. Competition on May 10th includes the Amy Winehouse-focused Fade to Black, along with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt's The Fall Guy, which opens a week earlier. The following week, the imaginary character film IF starring John Krasinski and Ryan Reynolds opens.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes actor teases Caesar connection

In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, it's been 300 years since the death of Caesar, but according to star Kevin Durand, his character Proximus serves as the antagonist of the upcoming sequel, and he has embraced the moniker of "Caesar" to demonstrate his enlightenment. With how much time has passed since Caesar helped free the apes from imprisonment in War for the Planet of the Apes, Durand explained how "Caesar" became a name he adopted to show he would be the one to push apes to evolve. 

"Caesar is almost a religious figure, and Proximus has taken on the name 'Caesar' because it was the highest position held in ape society," Durand explained to Empire Magazine. "It was a self-proclamation that was achieved by any means necessary, to ensure that apes continue to evolve. So you're seeing the influence and the evolution of what Caesar left. And like every morsel of human history, there's always some type of tyrant who comes along and scares everyone into believing them."

Directed by Wes Ball, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stars Owen Teague (IT), Freya Allan (The Witcher), Kevin Durand (Locke & Key), Peter Macon (Shameless), and William H. Macy (Fargo). The movie opens in theaters on May 10th.