Planet Of The Apes Movies In Order Explained In Details | 2025

The original Planet of the Apes was released in 1968 and is set in 2029. It follows a group of astronauts who crash-land on a planet ruled by apes. Four sequels followed the film: Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).

The first three sequels were released in chronological order, but Battle for the Planet of the Apes jumped ahead in time after the original film's events.

The next entry in the franchise is the live-action/CGI Planet of the Apes (2001), which is a remake of the 1968 original. It was followed by a sequel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Both of these films are set in the present day and tell an alternate history of how apes took over the Planet.

The most recent entry in the franchise is War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), which is set two years after Rising of the Planet of the Apes. It is the third and final installment in the reboot trilogy.

Planet of the Apes is one of the most unique and popular film franchises of all time. It began in 1968 with the original Planet of the Apes starring Charlton Heston. The original was followed by four sequels, a television series, two live-action/CGI movies, and a whole host of books, comics, toys, and other merchandise. The franchise is still going strong 50 years later.

The first five Planet of the Apes movies were released in chronological order, telling an epic story of a group of astronauts who crash-land on a planet ruled by apes. The sequels then jumped around in time, with some taking place before, during, and after the original film's events.

This can be confusing for new franchise fans, so we've put together a comprehensive guide to watching the Planet of the Apes movies in order.

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List of All Planet of The Apes Movies in Release Order

1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
3. Escape from Planet of the Apes (1971)
4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
6. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
7. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
8. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Director: Franklin J. Schaffner | Writer: Pierre Boulle (novel), Michael Wilson (screenplay), Rod Serling (screenplay) | Stars: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, Linda Harrison | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 52 minutes. | Release Date: April 3, 1968 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are adventure and sci-fi. | Filming Locations: Lake Powell, Utah, USA | Production Companies: APJAC Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Budget: The budget of the movie was $5.8 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $32.6 million.

The original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1968 and was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. It was based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle. The movie stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, and Linda Harrison. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $5 million at the box office.

While exploring the universe with the speed of light, a spaceship from Earth goes off course and crash lands on a strange planet. The ship's three astronauts are the only survivors: Taylor, Landon, and Dodge. They soon discover that the Planet is ruled by apes, who treat humans as slaves.

The humans are captured by the apes and put in a zoo. But Taylor escapes and meets Nova, a human who can speak the ape language. He also meets Zira and Cornelius, two apes who are sympathetic to humans. With their help, he plans to escape from the Planet.

But, when he is recaptured, he is put on trial for his beliefs. He is sentenced to death, but Nova and Zira save him. They help him escape, and he can finally return to Earth.

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Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)

Director: Ted Post  | Writer: Paul Dehn (story by), Mort Abrahams (story by), Pierre Boule (based on characters created by) | Stars: James Franciscus, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, Linda Harrison, Charlton Heston, Paul Dehn | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 35 minutes. | Release Date: May 26, 1970 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure, and sci-fi. | Filming Locations: Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, APJAC Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $3 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $19 million.

The first sequel to the original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1970 and was directed by Ted Post. It was based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle. The movie stars James Franciscus, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, Linda Harrison, Charlton Heston, and Paul Dehn. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $19 million at the box office.

This movie is a direct sequel to Planet of the Apes. It picks up where the first movie left off, with Taylor crash-landing on a strange planet ruled by apes.

Taylor and Nova are captured by the apes and put in a zoo. But they escape and start to explore the Planet. They meet Zaius, the ape leader, who tells them that humans are not allowed to leave the Planet. They also meet Ursus, an ape who wants to lead a revolution against humans.

Taylor and Nova are captured again, but they escape and find a city of humans who have been living underground. They are about to be attacked by the apes, but Taylor uses a nuclear bomb to destroy the city and everyone in it.

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Escape from Planet of the Apes (1971)

Director: Don Taylor  | Writer: Paul Dehn (screenplay), Pierre Boulle (based on the characters created by) | Stars: Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman, Natalie Trundy, Eric Braeden, William Windom | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 38 minutes. | Release Date: July 9, 1971 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure, and sci-fi. | Filming Locations: Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, APJAC Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $2.8 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $33.8 million.

The second sequel to the original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1971 and was directed by Don Taylor. It was again based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle.

The movie stars Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman, Natalie Trundy, Eric Braeden, and William Windom. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $33 million at the box office.

Before Taylor activated the doomsday device, Zira and Cornelius stowed away on his ship and followed him back to Earth. An American couple takes them in, but when it is discovered that they are apes, they are put on public display.

However, the two apes use their intelligence to escape from captivity. They established contact with other apes and started to live in the wild. But, when humans found out about them, they wanted to capture them and put them in a zoo. Zira and Cornelius were able to escape, but they were killed in a car accident.

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

Director: J. Lee Thompson | Writer: Paul Dehn (screenplay), Pierre Boulle (based on an idea by) | Stars: Roddy McDowall, Don Murray, Ricardo Montalban, Natalie Trundy, Harry Lauter, Lou Wagner | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 28 minutes. | Release Date: June 30, 1972 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure, and sci-fi. | Filming Locations: University Of California, Century City, Irvine, California, USA | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, APJAC Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $1.7 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $9 million.

The third sequel to the original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1972 and directed by J. Lee Thompson. It was based on an idea by series creator Pierre Boulle. The movie stars Roddy McDowall, Don Murray, Ricardo Montalban, Natalie Trundy, Harry Lauter, and Lou Wagner. The movie was a commercial success, grossing over $9 million at the box office.

The baby Ape has grown up and is raised by Armando, a kind circus owner. He is taught how to read and write and can even speak a little bit of English. He is named Caesar.

One day, Armando takes Caesar to see the governor. But, when they get there, they find out that the apes are being treated harshly and are used as slaves. Caesar leads the apes in a rebellion, and they are able to take over the city. But the humans fight back, and they are eventually defeated. Caesar is captured and put in a cage. But he is freed by one of his friends, and he leads the apes to freedom.

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Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Director: J. Lee Thompson  | Writer: Paul Dehn (screenplay), Pierre Boulle (based on an idea by) | Stars: Roddy McDowall, Claude Akins, Natalie Trundy, Paul Williams, Severn Darden | Country of origin: United States | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 33 minutes. | Release Date: June 15, 1973 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure, and sci-fi. | Filming Locations: 20th Century Fox Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, APJAC Productions | Budget: The budget of the movie was $1.8 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $8.8 million.

The fourth and final sequel to the original Planet of the Apes movie was released in 1973 and was again directed by J. Lee Thompson. It was based on an idea by series creator Pierre Boulle. The movie stars Roddy McDowall, Claude Akins, Natalie Trundy, Paul Williams, and Severn Darden. The movie was a commercial success, grossing over $8.8 million at the box office.

Battle of the Apes is the fifth Installment in the original Planet of the Apes series. It is set ten years after the events of the Conquest of the Planet of the Apes.

Caesar is now the apes' leader, and they live in a peaceful utopia. But, when humans find out about them, they want to capture them and put them in zoos. Caesar leads the apes in a battle against the humans, and they are victorious.

But, the humans are not giving up and launch a final attack. Caesar is mortally wounded in the battle, but he is able to kill the human leader. The apes are finally free from the human rule.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

Director: Rupert Wyatt  | Writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver | Stars: Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, Karin Konoval, John Lithgow, Brian Cox | Country of origin: United States, United Kingdom, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 45 minutes. | Release Date: August 5, 2011 | Language: The language is English and signs languages. | Genres: The movie genres are action, drama, sci-fi, and thriller. | Filming Locations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox, Dune Entertainment, Chernin entertainment | Budget: The budget of the movie was $93 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $481 million.

The first movie in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy is a reboot of the 1968 original. It is set in the present day and tells an alternate history of how apes took over the Planet. Caesar, a chimpanzee who a scientist gave enhanced intelligence, leads his fellow apes in a rebellion against humans.

The movie was directed by Rupert Wyatt and writer/producer Rick Jaffa and stars Andy Serkis, James Franco, Freida Pinto, Karin Konoval, John Lithgow, and Brian Cox. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $481 million at the box office.

The movie starts with Will Rodman, a scientist working for a company called Gen-Sys, which is trying to create a cure for Alzheimer's disease. Will's father, Charles, has Alzheimer's, and Will is determined to find a cure.

He tests an experimental drug on apes, and one of the apes, Caesar, shows remarkable intelligence. However, the drug also has some serious side effects, and when the company decides to cancel the project, Will takes Caesar home with him.

As Caesar grows up, he realizes that he is different from other apes and that humans are the enemy. When a group of humans tries to capture him, he leads a revolt of apes, and they escape into the wilderness. There, they build a new home and prepare for war with the humans.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Director: Matt Reeves  | Writers: Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver | Stars: Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Enrique Murciano | Country of origin: United States, United Kingdom, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 10 minutes. | Release Date: July 11, 2014 | Language: The language is English and American sign languages. | Genres:  The movie genres are action, adventure, drama, sci-fi, and thriller. | Filming Locations: Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada | Production Companies: Chernin Entertainment, Ingenious Media, Soho VFX | Budget: The budget of the movie was $170 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $710 million.

The second movie in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy is set 10 years after the events of Rise. Caesar, now leader of the apes, must protect his community from a group of humans who are seeking revenge for the deaths of their loved ones.

The movie was once again directed by Matt Reeves and written by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver. It stars Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Enrique Murciano. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $710 million at the box office.

After ten years of the deadly Simian Flu epidemic, the movie continues the story that left humans on the brink of extinction. Caesar is now the leader of a thriving colony of apes in Muir Woods, and they have established a peaceful existence.

However, when a group of humans enters their territory, all bets are off. As the two sides clash, Caesar must choose between his loyalty to his own kind and his desire for peace.

Carver, a man in the wood, wound Ash, one of the apes. Koba, an ape who hates humans because of the abuse he suffered in a lab, wanted to kill all humans. But Caesar stopped him, saying that they should not be like humans.

They captured some humans and let them go. But Koba put a bomb which exploded and killed some apes. Koba wanted to kill Caesar, but Caesar defeated him. Koba fell from a great height and died. Malcolm, the human leader, wanted to build a new home with the apes. But Caesar was not sure if it was a good idea.

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

Director: Matt Reeves | Writers: Mark Bomback, Matt Reeves | Stars: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Amiah Miller, Terry Notary | Country of origin: United States, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 2 hours and 20 minutes. | Release Date: July 14, 2017 | Language: The language is English and American sign languages. | Genres: The movie genres are action, adventure, drama, sci-fi, and war. | Filming Locations: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Production Companies: Twentieth Century Fox, Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment | Budget: The budget of the movie was $149 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $490 million.

The third and final movie in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy is set two years after the events of Dawn. Caesar leads his apes in a war against a human army that a ruthless colonel leads. The movie was once again directed by Matt Reeves and written by Mark Bomback and Matt Reeves.

It stars Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Amiah Miller, and Terry Notary. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $490 million at the box office.

After two years of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the movie continues the story. Caesar is now faced with his most daunting challenge yet: a war against an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. As the two sides clash, Caesar must decide whether to revenge on his fallen friends or uphold his ideals of peace.

The apes are living in the woods. But the humans found them and wanted to kill them. They wanted to capture Caesar. But the apes fought back and won. They captured the Colonel and some humans. But the Colonel escaped and wanted to take revenge.

He went to the ape's home and killed many apes. But Caesar defeated him. The Colonel was going to shoot Caesar, but before he could, he was shot by one of his own men. Caesar let the humans go, and they went back to their homes.

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Movies in order by IMDB Rating

Movies	Rating on IMDB
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)	7.6/10
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)	7.6/10
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)	7.4/10
Planet of the Apes (1968)	8.0/10
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)	6.1/10
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)	6.3/10
Escape from Planet of the Apes (1971)	6.1/10
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)	5.5/10

Planet Of The Apes Movies In Release Order [Theatrical Order]

The chronological order of the series proves to be more fun, but if you want to watch the films as they were released in theaters, here is the order:

• Planet of the Apes (1968)
• Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
• Escape from 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 (2001) – Remake of Planet of the Apes (1968)
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
• War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

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FAQs

Conclusion

The Planet of the Apes movies is some of the most iconic science fiction movies. They are all connected and tell an epic story of apes and humans struggling for power. If you want to watch the movies in order, you can watch them in release order or chronological order. But, ultimately, it is up to you. Thanks for reading! We hope this helped.