Is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a sequel? Connection to trilogy explained

The Planet of the Apes saga is set to continue in May as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is expected to hit the big screens on May 10, 2024. Directed by Wes Ball, the film is aiming to launch a new trilogy that will be following a new set of apes in a distant future where the primates have taken over the world and humans have regressed to a more feral nature.

However, the main question people have about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is whether it is a sequel or a film that's set in a whole new continuity of its own.

The simple answer to that question is, yes, the upcoming Planet of the Apes film is a sequel to the last three films, but in a way will also be launching its own new direction.

---

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set 300 years after Caesar's story

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will be set 300 years after the events of Matt Reeves' War for the Planet of the Apes. A new ape utopia is created following Caesar leading his people to a land of peace, and the apes now rule the world. However, while the film will still be connected to the films that came before, it won't feature any of the characters from then.

Since it is 300 years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar will be long gone, and viewers will be following a brand new ape called Noa, played by Owen Teague. The apes will be ruled by Proximus Caesar, played by Kevin Durand, and while he shares the name of Caesar, he isn't directly related to the character.

The film's story will see Proximus Caesar pervert Caesar's teaching into something negative, prompting Noa to go on a journey to find the true meaning behind the ape's past. Noa will be accompanied on this journey by a feral girl named Mae, played by Freya Allan.

The official synopsis for the film, as per IMDb, is as follows:

"Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike."

---

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to launch a new trilogy

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball has said that he wants the new film to launch a trilogy that will expand on Caesar's ideals. With the upcoming film seeing the great ape's teachings being perverted for selfish reasons, he wants the film to be the start of something new.

In an interview with Empire, Ball said:

“Those last three movies were about the end of something. They were about the end of this Moses story. They were about the end of humanity.”

He continued:

“And we thought, ‘From the ashes of those previous movies, we’re gonna grow a new tree to climb.’ This movie is very much about the beginning of something.”

Starring Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, and more, the film releases in theatres on May 10.