Summary
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
is expected to have a strong $54-$61M box office debut, following in the franchise’s footsteps.
The new installment shifts focus to Noa, who aids human Mae against tyrant Proximus Caesar 300 years post-Caesar’s era.
The film could build on the critical and financial success of the previous trilogy, embracing Caesar’s legacy with breathtaking cinematography.
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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is poised to have a strong box office debut, even if it isn’t a franchise best. The movie takes the franchise in a new direction as it takes place 300 years after Caesar’s death in War for the Planet of the Apes, which was released in 2017. The ape protagonist this time will be Noa (Owen Teague), who helps a human girl, Mae (Freya Allan), as they contend with the tyrannical Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who has twisted the original Caesar’s teachings for his own ends.
According to Deadline, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ release is projected to have an opening weekend box office gross of $54 million-$61 million. This projected opening is on par with what Rise of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes earned in the first days of their theatrical runs. It is below the openings for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Tim Burton’s 2001 Planet of the Apes remake. See the opening weekend, final domestic, and final worldwide grosses for each of these four films below:
Film
Opening Weekend Gross
Final Domestic Gross
Final Worldwide Gross
Planet of the Apes (2001)
$68.5 million
$180 million
$362.2 million
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
$54.8 million
$176.6 million
$481.8 million
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
$72.6 million
$208.5 million
$710.6 million
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
$56.2 million
$146.9 million
$490.7 million
Related Every Planet of the Apes Movie Ranked, Worst to Best Over fifty years ago, the Planet of the Apes franchise spawned two separate series and a remake. But which film in the franchise reigns supreme?
Will Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Be A Box Office Hit?
Even if Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn’t have an all-time best franchise opening, it still has the potential to become a box office hit. Despite being set 300 years later, the story builds off the foundation of the trilogy that began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Along with performing well at the box office, the trilogy received a great deal of critical acclaim, and is widely considered to be among some of the most compelling prequels to come out of any long-running franchise.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can extend the elements that made the previous trilogy a financial and critical success as the story grapples with Caesar’s legacy and features the most stunning cinematography yet in the franchise’s history. Compared to other franchises that release new movies frequently, this being the first film since 2017 will make the release feel more like an event, and one that needs to be seen in theaters.
Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire have been among 2024’s biggest box office hits so far following their releases in March, but there are no other highly anticipated franchise films being released until Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits theaters on May 10. Its only significant competition will likely be The Fall Guy, which will already have been out for a week. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can kick off the summer blockbuster season with visual spectacle and an intriguing new story that could make it a box office hit.
Source: Deadline
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
Director Wes Ball
Release Date May 10, 2024
Studio(s) 20th Century , Chernin Entertainment , Oddball Entertainment , Shinbone Productions
Distributor(s) 20th Century
Writers Patrick Aison , Josh Friedman , Rick Jaffa , Amanda Silver
Cast Kevin Durand , Freya Allan , Peter Macon , Owen Teague , Eka Darville , Sara Wiseman , Neil Sandilands