Given the success of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the news that broke today about the next film in the series (number 11 in total) is pretty surprising. The expectation had been that the next film would be the second chapter in a trilogy kicked off by the last film, but apparently that’s not going to be the case.
Following his work helping to relaunch Marvel’s Fantastic Four with Fantastic Four: First Steps, director Matt Shakman is now set to tackle an entirely different kind of legacy property. He’s attached to direct a new, as-yet-untitled Planet of the Apes film for 20th Century Studios, with screenwriter Josh Friedman handling the script. Shakman will also serve as a producer alongside longtime franchise stewards Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.
While plot specifics are being closely guarded, the project is expected to return to the core premise that has defined the series for decades: a world in which apes have risen to dominance and humanity has been reduced to the margins. What’s particularly interesting is that, as noted, despite Friedman’s involvement in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), this new film is not currently expected to continue that storyline. Instead, the creative team appears to be developing a completely original entry within the established universe.
That decision makes sense given the franchise’s long history of reinvention. Since its debut in 1968—based on Pierre Boulle’s novel—the series has repeatedly found ways to reset, reinterpret, and expand its central concept. The original film was a major hit and earned a special Academy Award, spawning four sequels and even branching out into television with both live-action and animated series. A 2001 remake directed by Tim Burton offered a darker reimagining, while the 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes launched a critically acclaimed trilogy that continued through Dawn (2014) and War (2017).
More recently, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, directed by Wes Ball, introduced audiences to a new generation of characters and brought in nearly $400 million worldwide, proving there’s still a strong appetite for stories set in this world.
Shakman arrives at the project with a solid track record in both television and film. He earned widespread attention—and an Emmy nomination—for his work on Marvel Studios’ WandaVision, a success that helped position him for Fantastic Four: First Steps, which went on to gross over $500 million globally. His résumé also includes directing high-profile TV pilots such as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, The Consultant, Welcome to Chippendales, and The Great.
Friedman, meanwhile, has become something of a go-to writer for large-scale studio projects. In addition to his work on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, he co-wrote Avatar: The Way of Water and the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, further cementing his relationship with 20th Century Studios.
Taken together, the pairing of Shakman and Friedman suggests that this next Apes installment will aim to strike a balance between honoring the franchise’s legacy and charting a new path forward—something the series has managed to do successfully more than once over the past five decades.