A new box office report all but confirms that a sequel to Wes Ball’s Kingdom of the Planet of Apes will happen. As the sequel to War for the Planet of the Apes, and the fourth film in the reboot franchise, it is set several generations after Caesar’s reign and follows a young ape who goes on a journey that rocks the foundations of his world and previous beliefs. It debuted to critical and commercial success, sporting an 80% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 78% from viewers, and grossing nearly $400 million at the global box office.
A new report from The Hollywood Reporter makes it sound like a sequel to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a strong possibility. The trade notes that the movie was viewed as something of a test for Disney, as the studio had gained control of the franchise when it acquired Fox in 2019. As it approached $400 million globally, the trade estimates that this is enough to greenlight the rest of Ball’s planned trilogy. Disney itself has not yet announced another movie.
What This Means For The Planet Of The Apes Franchise
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Excelled Amid A Month Of Flops
It should be noted that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes pulled a spectacular box office draw during a month that was full of commercial flops. In May of this year, two other big films were released, Universal’s The Fall Guy and Warner Bros.’ Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The former was a potential introduction to a new franchise, while the latter was the prequel to a successful reboot. While the pair received solid reviews, both of these movies performed poorly at the box office and came in below expectations.
|
Movie |
Domestic Box Office |
Global Box Office |
Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Fall Guy |
$92.9 million |
$180.9 million |
$130 million |
|
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga |
$67.5 million |
$172.8 million |
$168 million |
|
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes |
$171.1 million |
$397.4 million |
$160 million |
This not only proves that Disney is handling the franchise well, but also that there is still interest in big franchises if they are well-made. In a time when major franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars are drawing more criticism, a well-made installment like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes stands out. People are still interested in Planet of the Apes movies even after a reboot and longer gaps between installments, as proven by the latest film. This reaction is definitely good news for the future.
Our Take On Planet Of The Apes’ Future
Does Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Deserve A Sequel?
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ success is not unwarranted. It’s a well-made movie with convincing visual effects, and it’s filled with high-octane action, rich characters that are well-acted, a suitable villain, and world-building that expands the franchise’s lore. All of these elements are strong enough to justify a sequel.
The ending of the film leaves room for much more to be told, and the franchise could go forward in many different ways. While it has seen a lot of success, a sequel has yet to be announced. The team behind the film may be hesitant to green-light a sequel because, out of all the Planet of the Apes reboot movies, its global box office draw is the lowest. This shouldn’t mean that it doesn’t deserve a sequel, however, as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ reviews and box office performance are an impressive feat in of itself.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
