There are incoming exclusive reports that Matt Shakman and Josh Friedman, the director and writer behind the MCU re-design of Fantastic Four, with First Steps, will now lead a reboot of the Planet of the Apes franchise for 20th Century. Shakman will take director and producer roles, alongside Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver for the latter, while Friedman writes the script.

Sources have confirmed the project will be a whole new story, with Friedman, Jaffa and Silver developing plot details, rather than a continuation of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes by Wes Ball, as part of the rebooted film series consisting of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for Planet of the Apes and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. These reboots ran from 2011 to 2024, with a sequel originally being planned for 2027.

However, there is yet to be confirmation if Shakman and Friedman’s project means this follow-up will be scrapped.

SUPPORT US!!! WE ARE A SMALL, INDEPENDENT FILM WEBSITE WITH NO BIG BACKERS, SO IF YOU LOVE OUR SITE AND OUR WRITERS, PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US TO KEEP FILM JOURNALISM ALIVE!

The film renditions of Planet of the Apes began in 1968 with director Franklin J. Schaffner adapting French author Pierre Boulle’s original novel of the same (French title being La Planète des singes), published in 1963, for the big screen. The film starred Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly, and Linda Harrison, focusing on an astronaut crew crash-landing on a new planet in the future where evolved apes take control over the weaker humans.

It was followed by four sequels and Tim Burton’s 2001 remake with Mark Wahlberg and Tim Roth.

Post navigation