Planet of the Apes saga

'Planet of the Apes' comes from the novel by Frenchman Pierre Boulle, published in 1963. 'Planet of the Apes' (1968), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring Charlton Heston, told of an astronaut who lands on a planet ruled by intelligent apes, and its ending, with the Statue of Liberty on the beach, is one of the most famous in film history. John Chambers' make-up earned an honorary Oscar.

Four sequels followed in just five years: 'Beneath the Planet of the Apes', 'Escape from the Planet of the Apes', 'Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' and 'Battle for the Planet of the Apes' (1973), which closed the story's loop through time travel. Tim Burton made his own version in 2001, 'Planet of the Apes', with Mark Wahlberg.

The series was reborn with a new trilogy about the chimpanzee Caesar, played by Andy Serkis through motion capture: 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' (2011), and two directed by Matt Reeves, 'Dawn' (2014) and 'War for the Planet of the Apes' (2017), acclaimed for their effects. Wes Ball's 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' (2024) jumped several generations past Caesar.