Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Movies | Tagged: film, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, planet of the apes, wes ball

Wes Ball Talks 'Mythic' Potential in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Filmmaker Wes Ball discusses some of the "mythic" elements of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and reaffirms there isn't a Caesar connection.

The next story in the Planet of the Apes universe (titled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) has taken the franchise into a new space where Caesar's influence and reign have been revamped under a new leadership role, regardless of what Caesar's ideas actually represented. And despite what many longtime fans have been assuming, there isn't a solid genetic connection to Caesar with any of the next-gen characters. However, there is some spiritual, unexplainable tether to the former leader that's found within the movie.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball tells Screen Rant, "Raka, I think, even if he's not quite right all the time, he really understands what Caesar stood for. What ape should aspire to become. Proximus has wielded Caesar's legacy as a weapon to steer other apes in a particular direction. I think it's an interesting thing for Noa, as this kind of blank slate who doesn't know who Caesar is, to interpret both these ideas of Caesar, who he was and how he carries Caesar's torch forward into the future. It'll be fun to play with. There's even this little thing where, spiritually, there's a lot of connections to Caesar through Noa. He's a chimpanzee; destiny gave him the same scar right here [on his chest]. As you see in the movie, that same birthmark that Caesar had, which some people caught in the trailer. 'He's Caesar!' He's not. There's destiny at foot here. There's something mythic about it all."

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Official Cast, Plot Summary, and Release Date

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, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy. The screenplay is by Josh Friedman, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison, based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrived in theaters on May 10, 2024.

Have you seen the next chapter of the Planet of the Apes franchise?

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