Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Star Teases His Character’s Unexpected Connection to Caesar

In the upcoming 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 in order to show he would be the one to push apes to evolve. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to hit theaters on May 24, 2024.

“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, per Screen Rant. “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.”

Like all of the best villains, Proximus isn’t overtly nefarious so much as he has a different perspective on what would be best for apes as compared to his peers. Director of the film Wes Ball previously expressed what it is that makes Proximus a compelling adversary.

“The interesting thing about Proximus is that, with some help, he’s rediscovered electricity,” Ball detailed to Entertainment Weekly. “To apes that forgot about all these things, that’s like a magic power. So they’re experimenting with it. I don’t even think you can call him a villain. I would call him an adversary. You understand him, you can relate to him in a way. It’s an interesting character who isn’t just a mustache-twirling cutout.”  

The new movie is described, “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. 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.”

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).

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to hit theaters on May 24, 2024.

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