Overview of the Planet of the Apes franchise

When thinking of iconic science fiction series, the Planet of the Apes will probably come to mind. Initially the series began as a novel that was eventually made into a movie in 1968. 2018 marks the golden anniversary of the successful series and since the premiere of the film, the whole franchise has seen exponential growth and expanded out to various format.

Original film series

The first instalment of the Planet of the Apes was released 1968. With it success, came four additional movies. In 1970, “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” was released and then another sequel for every year after. These movies included “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” (1971), “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” (1972) and “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” (1973).

2001 Remake

Many iconic films of the past are being remade today. Planet of the Apes is no exception. Controversial director Tim Burton oversaw a new version of the film in 2001. In the end, the movie did quite well earning more than $362 million. Officially a success, interest arose to release a second film but fizzled out when Tim Burton declined to direct the film.

Recent Reboot Series

The hype surrounding the film didn’t die down and led to a reboot several years later. The first film released was “Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011. Three years later, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” hit theatres with the current instalment, “War for the Planet of the Apes” being released this year. A fourth film is already in the works.

TV series and Games

After the 1968 release of the Planet of the Apes, a TV series was also produced. The show only ran one season given competition from other popular shows of the day. Not only did the movie inspire a TV show but many games as well. One of these is a popular slot machine that can be found online pays tribute to the film while providing fans with ways to win big.

Many anticipate that the 50^th anniversary of the film will coincide with the release of the fourth movie reboot. Fans of the franchise need to stay tuned!