A familiar world starts shifting again, and this time it brings a new creative team into focus. A franchise built on shifting power, fractured identity, and uneasy survival prepares for another evolution. The next entry in Planet of the Apes moves forward with fresh leadership behind the camera.
Matt Shakman Takes the Lead on the New Planet of the Apes Movie
Deadline reports that the new Planet of the Apes movie will be directed by Matt Shakman, with Josh Friedman writing the script. Shakman recently worked on Fantastic Four: First Steps, adding another major franchise to his resume. Friedman also brings experience within the same universe, having worked on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Studio details confirm that the story remains under wraps, with no official plot synopsis released. However, the film will return to a world where apes dominate humanity while moving away from the storyline established in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Instead, Shakman and Friedman are developing a new standalone story set within the same universe.
Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, longtime producers of the Planet of the Apes franchise, will also produce the project alongside Shakman.
The Long Legacy of Planet of the Apes
The Planet of the Apes franchise stands as one of 20th Century Studios’ most lasting science fiction properties. It began with Pierre Boulle’s novel and moved to film in 1968 with Planet of the Apes, released by then-20th Century Fox. That original film introduced a world in which humans lose control and apes rise to dominance, setting the tone for decades of storytelling.
The franchise expanded through multiple sequels and television adaptations in the years that followed. It returned to theaters in 2001 with Planet of the Apes, directed by Tim Burton, which offered a new interpretation of the original premise.
The series was later rebooted in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, followed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in 2014 and War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. Those films reshaped the franchise’s modern identity, focusing on Caesar’s story and the growing divide between species.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Wes Ball, continued the world-building in 2024 and extended the timeline into a new era. Now, the series enters another creative transition with Shakman and Friedman developing a separate story within the same universe.
Returning to the World of the Apes
For nearly six decades, Planet of the Apes has shifted between sequels, reboots, and new timelines while keeping its focus on the struggle between human and ape societies. Now, the franchise moves into another era with Shakman and Friedman building a new story separate from the events of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
20th Century Studios has not revealed where the story will begin or which characters will shape this next chapter. For now, the project stands as a fresh entry point into one of science fiction’s longest-running film franchises.
What do you want to see from the next chapter of Planet of the Apes?
