By 2011, thePlanet of the Apesseries had already been around for over 40 years, butRise of the Planet of the Apescompletely revolutionized the franchise. The firstPlanet of the Apesmovie was released in 1968 and mesmerized audiences all over the world. Theending ofPlanet of the Apesis still regarded as one of the best twists in movie history. After the success of the 1968 original, four morePlanet of the Apesmovieswere made before the franchise was eventually rebooted in 2001.
The2001Planet of the Apesreboot was not received wellby critics or audiences, and led to the franchise being deemed as dead once again for 10 years. Therefore,2011’sRise of the Planet of the Apeshad a lot of factors working against it. However,Rise’semotional story about Caesar quickly won over both critics and audiences, and has led to several more successfulPlanet of the Apesmovies.Rise of the Planet of the Apescould have easily been a disaster, but it instead proved that there are many more interesting stories to tell in the franchise.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Was A Very Risky Project On Paper
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Shouldn’t Work As Well As It Does
The story ofRise of the Planet of the Apesfollows Will, a scientist who is experimenting with a drug which he hopes will cure his father’s Alzheimer’s disease. After his project is shut down, Will becomes the guardian of Caesar, an ape that was exposed to the drug. He continues performing experiments in secret, all while Caesar begins to display impressive intellect. Instead of serving as a remake of the originalPlanet of the Apesmovie,Rise of the Planet of the Apesis an origin story for the world seen in the original film.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
86%
Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
34%
Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971)
75%
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
52%
Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
33%
Planet of the Apes (2001)
43%
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
82%
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
91%
War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
94%
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
80%
Rise of the Planet of the Apeswas a very risky project, since it was the first movie in the franchise since the infamous 2001 reboot. It could have easily been viewed as a disaster, especially since all the apes in the movie were CGI. Because of this, there were no guarantees that audiences would be able to relate to Caesar and the other apes. Therefore,there were a lot of ways thatRise of the Planet of the Apescould have ended the franchise permanently, but it was instead a massive success.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Story Wasn’t That Innovating Either
During Another Time, It’s Possible That Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Wouldn’t Get Made
In addition to following up the reviled 2001 reboot and featuring several CGI characters,Rise of the Planet of the Apesdoesn’t necessarily feature an innovating story either. The structure ofRise of the Planet of the Apesactually feels quite similar to several superhero origin stories from the early 2000s, such asSpider-ManandFantastic Four. Caesar is the superhero-like figure inRise of the Planet of the Apes, and experiences various setbacks before he finally reigns supreme at the end of the movie.
10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, 13 Years Later
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the beginning of the modern Planet of the Apes series, but some elements haven’t aged as well as others.
It’s possible thatRise of the Planet of the Apesis a movie that could have only been greenlit during that time. The story ofRise of the Planet of the Apesis quite personal, and may have not seemed grand enough to be released today, especially since it comes from such a well-known franchise. Therefore, in many ways,it is a miracle thatRise of the Planet of the Apeswas made.Rise of the Planet of the Apeswas released at the perfect time, and successfully paved a new path forward for the franchise.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Turned Out Better Than Anyone Would’ve Expected
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Was An Exciting New Start For The Franchise
Despite all the factors that were working againstRise, everything about the movie works very well. The movie’s human characters are interesting. Will’s motivations throughout the film and his connection to Caesar are believable. However, the film truly shines with its portrayal of the apes. The CGI in the movie is remarkable, so audiences are always intrigued during scenes that featured only apes. Even though what happens to humanity after the events of the film is tragic,viewers want the apes to escape and be free at the end ofRise of the Planet of the Apes.
Caesar is a unique character in the series, since he arguably has an equal connection to both humans and apes.
There are several strong ape characters inRise of the Planet of the Apes, but the movie is of course centered around Caesar. After his introduction inRise,Caesar became the best character in the entire franchise. Caesar is a unique character in the series, since he arguably has an equal connection to both humans and apes. Even though he was raised by Will, Caesar comes to realize that he belongs with apes, and needs to fight for their freedom. Caesar’s arc inRise of the Planet of the Apesis truly amazing to watch.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Set The Stage For Even Better Sequels
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes Led To Several Incredible Sequels
Caesar’s story was just beginning inRise of the Planet of the Apes. The 2011 film is incredible, but its biggest accomplishment is perhaps the fact that it paved the way for several stronger sequels. 2014’sDawn of the Planet of the Apes, 2017’sWar for the Planet of the Apes, and 2024’sKingdom of the Planet of the Apesare all incredible movies in the franchise. BothDawnandWarcontinued the story of Caesar, and saw him raise a family of his own and continue to fight for the freedom of apes.
The Single Decision With The Planet Of The Apes Movies That Built A $2.5 Billion Franchise
To some, the revival of the Planet of the Apes movies may seem unnecessary, but one key change made the modern franchise worth the trouble.
Even though Caesar died at the end ofWar for the Planet of the Apes,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesproves that his legacy lives on.Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesis yet another new beginning for the franchise, but it successfully manages to honor what came before it.Following the release ofKingdom, it has never been clearer that Caesar is the most important character in the franchise, and his story began in the massively influentialRise of the Planet of the Apes.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Cast
A prequel and reboot to the Planet of the Apes franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes stars James Franco as pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman. While working with apes, Rodman befriends Caesar (Andy Serkis), a particularly intelligent chimpanzee. Not all humans are as gentle with the apes as Rodman, however, and Caesar is destined to start the line of super-intelligent apes that will one day inherit the Earth.
