New Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Trailer Confirms We’re Closer Than Ever To That Original Movie Twist

Footage from the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes makes it abundantly clear that the distance between the franchise at its current state and the 1968 classic that started it all has finally closed. Released during Super Bowl XVIII, the second full trailer for the new Planet of the Apes film provides an in-depth look at the characters featured in the saga’s next chapter, while also teasing the changes the world has experienced since the last installment. Picking up a few centuries after War for the Planet of the Apes, the fourth movie in the reboot series begins a new era in the franchise.

The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer shows that the franchise has moved far beyond the days depicted in War for the Planet of the Apes. In the case of the former, humans were in a heated conflict with the apes, with the two factions each trying to determine the fate of the world. Of course, the result was in favor of the apes. The aftermath of their victory is on display in the new footage, which promises a story where humans, who lost all the power they once held (and more), are being caught and enslaved by the apes.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ New Trailer Teases The Franchise’s Astronaut Twist

What’s become of the humans in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is deeply reminiscent of Planet of the Apes, but that’s hardly the only detail connecting the two films. The new Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer creates an even more interesting link between them via its space teases. One scene shows its human protagonist gazing at a telescope in what looks to be the ruins of an observatory. Another shot shows models of planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. From the looks of things, the movie will tease humanity’s interest in the stars, which is quite telling when considering the basis of the original film’s plot.

Space exploration and astronomy matter very little in the scope of the reboot series, but are central to the story of the 1968 movie; after all, the story revolves around astronauts taking off into space during the 1960s and winding up back on Earth. Of course, the main character – Charlton Heston’s George Taylor – is under the impression that his ship crossed over into another solar system, unaware that they were on Earth all along. Since he eventually gets wrapped up in the affairs of the apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ space connections serve as a hint toward this key event in the Planet of the Apes timeline.

How Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Can Tie Into The Original Movie’s Statue Of Liberty Twist

With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes referencing the very plot device that acted as the backbone of Planet of the Apes, it’s become all the more likely that the upcoming sequel will indeed build a bridge to the 1968 classic. In fact, the landscape of the world shown in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes reveals how that can happen. The movie includes man-made structures, like the observatory and the telescope, as fixtures of the past left over from the time when humans ruled the planet. These relics from human history could easily include the Statue of Liberty.

Based on the condition of the ruined buildings seen in the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the broken top half of the Statue of Liberty lying on the beach in Planet of the Apes’ ending would fit seamlessly into this world. Recreating such a shot in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes could work as the perfect, final building block toward the story told in the original movie. Going in this direction could end the franchise, or set up a new installment.

Will George Taylor Arrive On Earth During Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes?

Step by step, the reboot movies have pushed their world closer to the one brought to life in Planet of the Apes. By all indications, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will complete that push, meaning that the movie that comes next could very well be a proper Planet of the Apes remake. And based on the tease to the original film’s big twist in the new trailer, the 2024 movie isn’t shying away from that possibility in the slightest. With that in mind, it may not be long before George Taylor enters the picture.

George Taylor’s role in the overarching narrative can be incorporated into the next installment in a variety of ways. If it is a remake that directly tackles the original’s main plot, Charlton Heston’s character could be recast with a new actor in the lead role, unless another protagonist is chosen. If the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel wants to avoid the challenge of recasting or replacing a science fiction icon, it could instead tell a story adjacent to the original. In other words, it could take place during Taylor’s time on the planet, featuring him only in a cameo.