Nearly 60 years after the 1968 original uncaged a world where Apes are the rulers and Man the beast, the reign of the Planet of the Apes continues. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — the upcoming 10th film in the sci-fi franchise — is set several generations in the future following ape-leader Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) reign in the reboot trilogy that spanned 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.
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Keep reading below for a quick refresher on the new Planet of the Apes timeline, and find out where to get your stinking paws on the Planet of the Apes movies.
The Planet of the Apes Timeline, Explained
Rise revealed the origin of the Planet of the Apes. In 2011, the biotech company Gen-Sys Laboratories tested cures for Alzheimer’s disease on chimps. The simian test subjects exhibited increased brain activity and intelligence, but the ALZ-113 retrovirus mutated into a highly contagious disease that spread as a global pandemic: the Simian Flu. San Francisco was ground zero for the Simian Flu virus and an ape revolt, with the Golden Gate Ape Uprising marking the beginning of the war between humankind and apekind.
By 2015, the Exercitus Viri — the global “Army of Man” — waged a holy war to eradicate apes and prevent the extinction of the human race (as seen in Marvel’s Planet of the Apes tie-in comic prequel). Dawn, set in 2026, followed Caesar’s colony of apes after Earth’s scientists failed to find a cure for the man-made virus. After Koba (Toby Kebbell) sparked a civil war, Caesar prepared his simian army for the War for the Planet of the Apes.
In 2028, Colonel J. Wesley McCullough (Woody Harrelson) and his Alpha-Omega paramilitary force went to war with Caesar when the Simian Flu virus mutated again to devolve humans into a primal state. Having led his tribe — and the mute human girl Nova (Amiah Miller) — to the Oasis, Caesar succumbed to his battle wounds and died.
Kingdom picks up more than 300 years later, when apes are the dominant species on the planet. The new movie follows young chimp Noa (Owen Teague) and feral human woman Mae (Freya Allen) as the tyrannical ape ruler Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) builds his empire… one that could determine the fate of apes and humans alike.
Planet of the Apes Movies: 3978 Timeline
The original Planet of the Apes starred Charlton Heston as human astronaut George Taylor, whose simian adventure in the year 3978 spawned four sequels.
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Planet of the Apes Remake: Ashlar Timeline
In 2001, director Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes remake saw astronaut Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) crash land on the humanoid ape planet Ashlar. A film sequel failed to materialize, but prequel novels and sequel comics continued the storyline in the re-imagined continuity.
- Planet of the Apes (2001)
Planet of the Apes: Reboot Timeline
The Caesar Era spanned a reboot trilogy between 2011 and 2017. Kingdom is set in this new timeline, taking place 300 years after War.
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Where to Watch the Planet of the Apes Movies in Order
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Astronaut Taylor (Charlton Heston) crash lands on a distant planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Soon Taylor finds himself among the hunted, his life in the hands of a benevolent chimpanzee scientist (Roddy McDowall).
Where is Planet of the Apes (1968) streaming? You can watch Planet of the Apes on Starz (available as a channel on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Roku). The movie is also available for rent or purchase on digital retailers.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
In the acclaimed sequel to Planet of the Apes, another astronaut crashes through the time barrier searching for the missing Taylor. The daring rescue leads to a subterranean city where mutant humans, who practice mind control, worship a weapon capable of destroying the entire planet. Both an action-oriented science-fiction adventure and a wry commentary on today’s world, it’s imaginative entertainment for fantasy buffs of all ages.
Where is Beneath the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Beneath the Planet of the Apes on Starz (available as a channel on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Roku). The movie is also available for rent or purchase on digital retailers.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter reprise their roles from the original Planet of the Apes in this third chapter of the Apes saga. Two intelligent simians from the future, Cornelius (McDowall) and Zire (Hunter) travel to present-day Earth. They become instant sensations, wined and dined and treated like celebrities — until a high-level plot forces them to run for their lives!
Where is Escape from the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Escape from the Planet of the Apes on Starz (available as a channel on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Roku). The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digital retailers.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
A talking chimpanzee in the far future leads his fellow apes in a revolution against the tyrannical humans who have enslaved them.
Where is Conquest of the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Conquest of the Planet of the Apes on Starz (available as a channel on Apple TV, Prime Video, andRoku), IndieFlix, and Plex. The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
In the final chapter of the original Apes saga, ape civilization is trying to live peacefully with human beings who are atom bomb mutations. The “Humans” plan and carry out an attack on the apes. There is also trouble within the ape community as one of their number plans a military dictatorship.
Where is Battle for the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Battle for the Planet of the Apes on Starz (available as a channel on Apple TV, Prime Video, andRoku). The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
In this action-packed epic from director Tim Burton, Leo, a brash astronaut (Mark Wahlberg) crash-lands on an uncharted planet, where talking apes dominate humans. In order to return home, Leo must outrun an invincible gorilla army led by a ruthless general (Tim Roth) in order to reach a sacred temple that holds shocking secrets about mankind’s past – and the only hope for its future!
Where is Planet of the Apes (2001) streaming? You can watch the Planet of the Apes remake on Hulu, Starz, and Fubo TV. The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a revolution–an action-packed epic featuring stunning visual effects and creatures unlike anything ever seen before. At the story’s heart is Caesar (Andy Serkis), a chimpanzee who gains human-like intelligence and emotions from an experimental drug. Raised like a child by the drug’s creator (James Franco), Caesar ultimately finds himself taken from the humans he loves and imprisoned. Seeking justice, Caesar assembles a simian army and escapes–putting man and primate on a collision course that could change the planet forever.
Where is Rise of the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes on Hulu, Fubo TV, and FX Now. The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
In the aftermath of a Simian flu pandemic which decimates the earth’s human population, the leader of an advanced ape colony in the muir woods helps an architect fix a hydro dam which puts San Francisco back on the grid, but the fragile trust between man and ape is broken when a former lab ape “assassinates” the leader and wages war against human survivors in the revitalized city.
Where is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch Dawn of the Planet of the Apes on Hulu and Max. The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel (Woody Harrelson). After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.
Where is War for the Planet of the Apes streaming? You can watch War for the Planet of the Apes on Hulu, Max, TNT, TBS, or the TruTV app. The movieis also available for rent or purchase on digitalretailers.
