Spoilers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" follow.
Koba (Toby Kebbell) from "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is the best blockbuster villain of the 2010s. One of Caesar's (Andy Serkis) sapient apes, first introduced in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," Koba was a lab animal in a previous life. The brutal treatment left him scarred (both skin-deep and deeper) and hateful towards humans. In "Dawn," finally in a position to strike back, he attempts to assassinate Caesar so he can lead his misanthropic war.
Koba is much like Magneto, perennial foe of the X-Men, and another figure who believes peace with humanity is impossible because of his past trauma. It's not a one-to-one comparison, though, because Magneto is more noble than Koba. Magneto has done evil, but his goal is the prosperity of mutantkind. For Koba, the violence is the point; he wants humans to suffer,...
Koba (Toby Kebbell) from "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is the best blockbuster villain of the 2010s. One of Caesar's (Andy Serkis) sapient apes, first introduced in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," Koba was a lab animal in a previous life. The brutal treatment left him scarred (both skin-deep and deeper) and hateful towards humans. In "Dawn," finally in a position to strike back, he attempts to assassinate Caesar so he can lead his misanthropic war.
Koba is much like Magneto, perennial foe of the X-Men, and another figure who believes peace with humanity is impossible because of his past trauma. It's not a one-to-one comparison, though, because Magneto is more noble than Koba. Magneto has done evil, but his goal is the prosperity of mutantkind. For Koba, the violence is the point; he wants humans to suffer,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Has another sci-fi series ever explored the folly of intelligent thought as thoroughly, devastatingly, and colorfully as “The Planet of the Apes”? We here at IndieWire think not. With a now whopping 10 installments within the franchise and countless derivative work adding to the lore, “Planet of the Apes” stands in a league all its own and prides itself on an ability to constantly evolve (see what we did there?).
The concept for the series was first conceived in 1963 in French author Pierre Boulle’s novel “La Planète des singes,” which translates to “Planet of the Apes” or “Monkey Planet.” Sadly, American producer Arthur P. Jacobs chose to go with the former translation when making his film adaptation. Despite this, the 1968 Charlton Heston- starring original “Planet of the Apes” was a huge success, launching multiple sequels that deftly dive into moral and ethical conversations surrounding modern day issues of the...
The concept for the series was first conceived in 1963 in French author Pierre Boulle’s novel “La Planète des singes,” which translates to “Planet of the Apes” or “Monkey Planet.” Sadly, American producer Arthur P. Jacobs chose to go with the former translation when making his film adaptation. Despite this, the 1968 Charlton Heston- starring original “Planet of the Apes” was a huge success, launching multiple sequels that deftly dive into moral and ethical conversations surrounding modern day issues of the...
- 5/11/2024
- by Wilson Chapman and Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
In the post-apocalyptic future where mankind has been reduced to mute, feral packs of humans and all of our skyscrapers have grown over with greenery, there isn't much use for money. But until that future inevitably comes, studios need cash to make movies like "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," and they need those movies to generate even more money so that the whole hairy cycle can continue.
Fortunately, "Kingdom" is so far living up to the standards of its ancestors with an estimated opening weekend of $52-55 million, after grossing $22.2 million from Thursday previews and Friday ticket sales (per Deadline). That's roughly in line with early box office projections, and also on par with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" ($54.8 million) and "War for the Planet of the Apes" ($56.2 million). However, it falls short of two other entries in the franchise: "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,...
Fortunately, "Kingdom" is so far living up to the standards of its ancestors with an estimated opening weekend of $52-55 million, after grossing $22.2 million from Thursday previews and Friday ticket sales (per Deadline). That's roughly in line with early box office projections, and also on par with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" ($54.8 million) and "War for the Planet of the Apes" ($56.2 million). However, it falls short of two other entries in the franchise: "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,...
- 5/11/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
[Editor’s note: Spoilers for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” below.]
Wes Ball had two things going for him in directing “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”: His love of the original franchise, which he first watched on TV as a kid in the ’80s, and his admiration for “Avatar,” whose virtual production and performance capture prowess he leveraged with the help of Wētā FX.
“Something I’ve always wanted to do is go play in that ‘Avatar’ style and do it here, where there is no camera, there’s no lights, there’s no set really,” Ball told IndieWire. “And you have to create that in the computer with really talented artists. And I had a great time doing it.”
Ball got a taste of the tech working with Wētā on the shuttered “Mouse Guard” adaptation of David Petersen’s graphic novel (a casualty of the Disney/Fox merger). “That...
Wes Ball had two things going for him in directing “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”: His love of the original franchise, which he first watched on TV as a kid in the ’80s, and his admiration for “Avatar,” whose virtual production and performance capture prowess he leveraged with the help of Wētā FX.
“Something I’ve always wanted to do is go play in that ‘Avatar’ style and do it here, where there is no camera, there’s no lights, there’s no set really,” Ball told IndieWire. “And you have to create that in the computer with really talented artists. And I had a great time doing it.”
Ball got a taste of the tech working with Wētā on the shuttered “Mouse Guard” adaptation of David Petersen’s graphic novel (a casualty of the Disney/Fox merger). “That...
- 5/11/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
I love me some damn dirty apes, and I’m not alone. Ever since the first Planet of the Apes movie in 1968, it’s been one of Hollywood’s most consistent (on a quality level) franchises. Think about it. Has there ever really been a lousy Planet of the Apes movie? Not really. Yet, it’s often unheralded when we talk about the great franchises. So, let’s look at the series as a whole, with this Planet of the Apes movies ranked list (from worst to best). And don’t worry – you’ll get to have your say tomorrow with a poll I’ll be publishing, so check back for that.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake of the original 1968 classic is a mixed bag. Mark Wahlberg was a little too green at this point in his career to make a captivating action hero, with him paling...
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s remake of the original 1968 classic is a mixed bag. Mark Wahlberg was a little too green at this point in his career to make a captivating action hero, with him paling...
- 5/11/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Who knew that French author Pierre Boulle’s slim, satirical 1963 novel, Le Planete des Singes, would lead to one of the most successful science fiction franchises of all time? Consisting of 10 films (to date), two TV series , comic books (including a magazine series from Marvel), toys, games, merchandise and more, Planet of the Apes remains one of the most enduring and unique sci-fi sagas in cinematic history.
The success of the original film, 1968’s Planet of the Apes, led studio 20th Century Fox (which finally made the movie after years of development and stalling) to launch a series of sequels. That wasn’t necessarily unheard of back then, but those sequels—which include Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), 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)—told one complete story, unlike anything done on film before.
The success of the original film, 1968’s Planet of the Apes, led studio 20th Century Fox (which finally made the movie after years of development and stalling) to launch a series of sequels. That wasn’t necessarily unheard of back then, but those sequels—which include Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), 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)—told one complete story, unlike anything done on film before.
- 5/11/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
The following contains spoilers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
It's been 7 years since "War of the Planet of the Apes" brought to an end the story of Caesar the first ape capable of speech, who led a revolution and forever changed the world. Now, we're entering a new chapter in the "Planet of the Apes" saga with "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," set generations after the events of the previous film.
The movie follows Noa (Owen Teague), a member of the Eagle Clan who witnesses that entire clan being conquered and taken captive by a tyrannical king named Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). When Noa sets out to free his people, he joins forces with Raka (Peter Macon), an orangutan from the Order of Caesar, and a human named Mae (Freya Allan) who is also on the run from Proximus' apes.
Proximus needs Mae because she...
It's been 7 years since "War of the Planet of the Apes" brought to an end the story of Caesar the first ape capable of speech, who led a revolution and forever changed the world. Now, we're entering a new chapter in the "Planet of the Apes" saga with "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," set generations after the events of the previous film.
The movie follows Noa (Owen Teague), a member of the Eagle Clan who witnesses that entire clan being conquered and taken captive by a tyrannical king named Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). When Noa sets out to free his people, he joins forces with Raka (Peter Macon), an orangutan from the Order of Caesar, and a human named Mae (Freya Allan) who is also on the run from Proximus' apes.
Proximus needs Mae because she...
- 5/10/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes."
In 1968's "Planet of the Apes," astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his companions find themselves traveling from 1972 to the year 3978 during their voyage, initially assuming they've traveled through space as well as time. Famously, Taylor finds this assumption woefully incorrect, discovering that a malfunctioning spacecraft took him right back to his point of origin: an Earth, but 2,006 years in the future, where humanity has all but destroyed itself with nuclear war, and a race of sentient apes have risen to become the world's dominant species.
While that original film has arguably been surpassed in quality by its subsequent sequels and the modern reboot saga, its cultural impact cannot be matched; everything from its visual iconography and immortal twist ending is firmly ingrained within pop culture. That's a big reason why the "Planet of the Apes" films, even...
In 1968's "Planet of the Apes," astronaut George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and his companions find themselves traveling from 1972 to the year 3978 during their voyage, initially assuming they've traveled through space as well as time. Famously, Taylor finds this assumption woefully incorrect, discovering that a malfunctioning spacecraft took him right back to his point of origin: an Earth, but 2,006 years in the future, where humanity has all but destroyed itself with nuclear war, and a race of sentient apes have risen to become the world's dominant species.
While that original film has arguably been surpassed in quality by its subsequent sequels and the modern reboot saga, its cultural impact cannot be matched; everything from its visual iconography and immortal twist ending is firmly ingrained within pop culture. That's a big reason why the "Planet of the Apes" films, even...
- 5/10/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
At the end of Planet of the Apes, the human astronaut who strove to understand the strange, simian-occupied planet made a shocking discovery. Horror overwhelms him as he struggles to make sense of the honored American monument before him, now barely recognizable.
Of course, that description can refer to the twist ending of the 1968 sci-fi classic, in which Charlton Heston falls on his knees at the sight of a decimated Statue of Liberty, realizing that he has been on a post-nuclear Earth the whole time. However, it also describes the less loved 2001 Planet of the Apes, directed by Tim Burton. In that film, Mark Wahlberg’s astronaut makes it back to the past only to find an ape version of the Lincoln Monument.
On a narrative level, the ending of 2001 Apes makes no sense, not even to Burton.
At the end of Planet of the Apes, the human astronaut who strove to understand the strange, simian-occupied planet made a shocking discovery. Horror overwhelms him as he struggles to make sense of the honored American monument before him, now barely recognizable.
Of course, that description can refer to the twist ending of the 1968 sci-fi classic, in which Charlton Heston falls on his knees at the sight of a decimated Statue of Liberty, realizing that he has been on a post-nuclear Earth the whole time. However, it also describes the less loved 2001 Planet of the Apes, directed by Tim Burton. In that film, Mark Wahlberg’s astronaut makes it back to the past only to find an ape version of the Lincoln Monument.
On a narrative level, the ending of 2001 Apes makes no sense, not even to Burton.
- 5/10/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Disney’s Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes leads the new titles at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, with the ape adventure starting in over 650 sites.
Directed by Wes Ball, Kingdom is the fourth film since the Planet Of The Apes series reboot in 2011; and 10thPlanet Of The Apes film overall since the series began with Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 classic starring Charlton Heston.
Set 300 years after the events of 2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes, Kingdom sees a young chimpanzee hunter embark on a journey with a human woman, to a dangerous holdout ruled by an ambitious bonobo monarch.
Directed by Wes Ball, Kingdom is the fourth film since the Planet Of The Apes series reboot in 2011; and 10thPlanet Of The Apes film overall since the series began with Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 classic starring Charlton Heston.
Set 300 years after the events of 2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes, Kingdom sees a young chimpanzee hunter embark on a journey with a human woman, to a dangerous holdout ruled by an ambitious bonobo monarch.
- 5/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The ApesImage: Disney
As the Planet Of The Apes franchise has shown us for almost 60 years, its primates won’t stop evolving, and neither will its movies. Case in point: the saga of Caesar, brought to motion-capture life by Andy Serkis in three films released throughout the 2010s,...
As the Planet Of The Apes franchise has shown us for almost 60 years, its primates won’t stop evolving, and neither will its movies. Case in point: the saga of Caesar, brought to motion-capture life by Andy Serkis in three films released throughout the 2010s,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Jarrod Jones
- avclub.com
This hopefully final prequel to the original movie reveals the story of the crazed ape leader Proximus Caesar – but it’s time the franchise evolved
After four ambitious and successful pictures, the reboot-prequel Planet of the Apes franchise now comes to what could well be the end, approaching the moment at which Charlton Heston and his crew crash landed, in 3978, in the original movie. It’s where, in 1968, we came in. Of course, if this one is a big hit, yet another prequel-episode could theoretically be squeezed in. But I hope not.
It’s not that this movie is running low on energy or panache – it isn’t – but the story is tangled and contrived and weirdly anticlimactic because that original film is starting to loom over everything like the Statue of Liberty’s shadow. All that happens has to match up with what we know is coming. There have...
After four ambitious and successful pictures, the reboot-prequel Planet of the Apes franchise now comes to what could well be the end, approaching the moment at which Charlton Heston and his crew crash landed, in 3978, in the original movie. It’s where, in 1968, we came in. Of course, if this one is a big hit, yet another prequel-episode could theoretically be squeezed in. But I hope not.
It’s not that this movie is running low on energy or panache – it isn’t – but the story is tangled and contrived and weirdly anticlimactic because that original film is starting to loom over everything like the Statue of Liberty’s shadow. All that happens has to match up with what we know is coming. There have...
- 5/8/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The recent Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy fizzled out by its third installment, as any form of social allegory it carried over from the original franchise had all but disappeared, with Matt Reeves’ War completing the saga’s slow transition into generic dystopian survival epic. Because the recent Fox-Disney merger has ensured that the only movies getting produced and released theatrically under the former studio’s new ownership are tied to familiar brand names, we’re returning to this post-apocalyptic Earth 300 years after the death of Andy Serkis’ Caesar for what is being tipped as the start of a new trilogy, bridging the gap between recent reboots and the original Charlton Heston vehicle. Surprisingly, for a project that was likely greenlit for non-creative reasons, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has surprisingly lofty aims, aiming to unpack the legacy of an ape-led revolution many generations later, when sharp...
- 5/8/2024
- by Alistair Ryder
- The Film Stage
After 2017’s masterful War of the Planet of the Apes, which completed the trilogy that started with 2011’s Rise and 2014’s Dawn and told the epic story of wise leader Caesar and the apes who created this whole new world, I really thought there was nowhere else to go with this franchise that had itself started so brilliantly in 1968 with the original starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut who lands in this futuristic world dominated by intelligent apes. Many other iterations would come, even a side foray by Tim Burton, but it was that most recent trilogy that really popped. But being box office successes, 20th Century’s new owner Disney knew there was more to be mined, and they were right.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was put in the hands of director Wes Ball...
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was put in the hands of director Wes Ball...
- 5/8/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
The first and original Dune live-action movie from 1984, based on Frank Herbert’s novel series of the same name, may not have been as perfect of an adaptation as Denis Villeneuve’s, however, Kyle MacLachlan’s performance as Paul Atreides in it was nothing short of epic. This was perhaps because of his nerdiness and ever-lasting love for the superhit science fiction book series.
Dune (1984).
That being said, MacLachlan obviously had some advice for Timothée Chalamet as well, when he heard that the younger Hollywood heartthrob would be the one replacing him in the iconic role for Villeneueve’s reboot of the saga. As for his thoughts on the Canadian filmmaker? Well, even the 65-year-old MacLachlan couldn’t doubt the 56-year-old director’s talent on the matter!
Kyle MacLachlan Had One Advice For Timothée Chalamet Replacing Him
Kyle MacLachlan may not have seen his own movie from the early 1980s...
Dune (1984).
That being said, MacLachlan obviously had some advice for Timothée Chalamet as well, when he heard that the younger Hollywood heartthrob would be the one replacing him in the iconic role for Villeneueve’s reboot of the saga. As for his thoughts on the Canadian filmmaker? Well, even the 65-year-old MacLachlan couldn’t doubt the 56-year-old director’s talent on the matter!
Kyle MacLachlan Had One Advice For Timothée Chalamet Replacing Him
Kyle MacLachlan may not have seen his own movie from the early 1980s...
- 5/8/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
The summer movie season continues with its first direct franchise installment, hoping to revive things after a softer month. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
Undaunted by the disappointing showing for Universal’s “The Fall Guy” this past weekend, Disney and 20th Century are releasing “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the next installment of the popular franchise that began way back in 1968 with the sci-fi classic starring Charlton Heston, into over 3,900 theaters this Friday. This installment takes place hundreds of the years into the future, when the apes have fully taken over from humans, following a young ape named Noah (Owen Teague from “Bloodline”) who goes on a journey to rescue his people from a more dominant ape clan.
See Grab the popcorn and sound off in our movie forums
There isn’t much point getting into the box office of any of the installments from the ’60s and ’70s,...
Undaunted by the disappointing showing for Universal’s “The Fall Guy” this past weekend, Disney and 20th Century are releasing “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the next installment of the popular franchise that began way back in 1968 with the sci-fi classic starring Charlton Heston, into over 3,900 theaters this Friday. This installment takes place hundreds of the years into the future, when the apes have fully taken over from humans, following a young ape named Noah (Owen Teague from “Bloodline”) who goes on a journey to rescue his people from a more dominant ape clan.
See Grab the popcorn and sound off in our movie forums
There isn’t much point getting into the box office of any of the installments from the ’60s and ’70s,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Director Wes Ball tells Den of Geek that he remembers seeing the original 1968 sci-fi classic Planet of the Apes on “HBO or something” as a child, watching with his dad. “I’m sure all the concepts probably went over my head,” he muses now. “I was probably very young. I don’t remember having a reaction to the Statue of Liberty, but I remember the images very clearly. I remember the feral humans in the grass and the apes on horses and the sets and obviously that [ending] on the beach. That’s what I remember—the images, the iconography of it all.”
The original Planet of the Apes indeed contains some of the most iconic images in all of sci-fi cinema, and it’s no coincidence that some of those images—along with other references—have been reimagined for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the 10th entry overall...
The original Planet of the Apes indeed contains some of the most iconic images in all of sci-fi cinema, and it’s no coincidence that some of those images—along with other references—have been reimagined for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the 10th entry overall...
- 5/7/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Ever since Charlton Heston climbed out of a little rocket ship in the toxic waters of the Forbidden Zone, science fiction has never been the same. The film in which he starred was based on a Pierre Boulle novel, but by the time it reached the big screen, it felt like an epic cinematic version of The Twilight Zone (and it had the Rod Serling writing credit to prove it).
The ending of the film is still one of the all-time great “twists” in cinema history, birthing the first modern science fiction franchise. And it’s never let up since. When Wes Ball’s latest installment in this upside down universe, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, hits big screens this coming weekend, the series will have seen nearly a dozen films released over the span of about 60 years. Some have been good, some have been bad, but almost...
The ending of the film is still one of the all-time great “twists” in cinema history, birthing the first modern science fiction franchise. And it’s never let up since. When Wes Ball’s latest installment in this upside down universe, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, hits big screens this coming weekend, the series will have seen nearly a dozen films released over the span of about 60 years. Some have been good, some have been bad, but almost...
- 5/7/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
“I felt ashamed of myself for watching. No one should have a chance to see so much desire, so much need for a prize. And so much pain when [it] was not given … I felt disgusted with myself. As though I were attending a public hanging.”
Those were the words of the late Glenda Jackson, as she described to The New York Times her recent experience watching the Academy Awards on television in 1979.
Ironically, it was well after she had already been gifted with two Best Actress Oscars herself. She was not present to accept those honors — for 1970’s “Women in Love” and 1973’s “A Touch of Class.” She was also absent when she was Best Actress-nominated for 1971’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and 1975’s “Hedda.”
See Watch our lively chats with dozens of 2024 Emmy contenders
I have to wonder if Miss Jackson ever watched the now-infamous clip of her winning her...
Those were the words of the late Glenda Jackson, as she described to The New York Times her recent experience watching the Academy Awards on television in 1979.
Ironically, it was well after she had already been gifted with two Best Actress Oscars herself. She was not present to accept those honors — for 1970’s “Women in Love” and 1973’s “A Touch of Class.” She was also absent when she was Best Actress-nominated for 1971’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and 1975’s “Hedda.”
See Watch our lively chats with dozens of 2024 Emmy contenders
I have to wonder if Miss Jackson ever watched the now-infamous clip of her winning her...
- 5/6/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is releasing to theaters and we’re celebrating with a giveaway!
In 1968 Charlton Heston battled a race of evolved in apes in the very first entry to one of the greatest science fiction series of all time. The iconic imagery of the half-buried Statue of Liberty in the films climactic ending remains of the greatest moments in cinema history. There were five films in that original series, before the franchise was rebooted by Tim Burton in 2001. That film — with an ending that’s memorable for all the wrong reasons — killed all hope of reviving the once beloved franchise. Then, in 2011 we got Rise of the Planet of the Apes, launching a near-perfect trilogy of apes films for a new audience.
Rupert Wyatt directed the first entry in that trilogy; however, it’s Matt Reeves’, director of The Batman, who took over for the second and third entry.
In 1968 Charlton Heston battled a race of evolved in apes in the very first entry to one of the greatest science fiction series of all time. The iconic imagery of the half-buried Statue of Liberty in the films climactic ending remains of the greatest moments in cinema history. There were five films in that original series, before the franchise was rebooted by Tim Burton in 2001. That film — with an ending that’s memorable for all the wrong reasons — killed all hope of reviving the once beloved franchise. Then, in 2011 we got Rise of the Planet of the Apes, launching a near-perfect trilogy of apes films for a new audience.
Rupert Wyatt directed the first entry in that trilogy; however, it’s Matt Reeves’, director of The Batman, who took over for the second and third entry.
- 5/3/2024
- by Joshua Ryan
- FandomWire
George Lucas, the rebel and the legend, created a living legacy in his lifetime with the Star Wars franchise that represents more human emotions than the species in itself. With each film representing one human emotion – from retribution to love – the franchise soon spawned into a global conglomerate, impossible to be controlled by any one man or be limited to his vision only.
George Lucas [Photo: Joey Gannon/Wikimedia Commons]But the resulting product was a marvel of creation and Star Wars was right to be recognized as such. The space saga that began with Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, stretched into half a century’s worth of narrative arc with fans who still revisit the idiosyncratic characters and expansive tales that first originated from the imagination of George Lucas.
Star Wars Breeds Criticism After Breaking the Status Quo
The universe that holds the creations of George Lucas captive is indeed a blessed one.
George Lucas [Photo: Joey Gannon/Wikimedia Commons]But the resulting product was a marvel of creation and Star Wars was right to be recognized as such. The space saga that began with Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo, stretched into half a century’s worth of narrative arc with fans who still revisit the idiosyncratic characters and expansive tales that first originated from the imagination of George Lucas.
Star Wars Breeds Criticism After Breaking the Status Quo
The universe that holds the creations of George Lucas captive is indeed a blessed one.
- 5/3/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
Space is great. It’s massive, it’s colorful, and you can have big fights with lasers there. It really does have everything you could want. But it also has problems—mainly, like we said, that it’s massive. In fact it’s so massive that if you want to go anywhere in it (apart from a few nearby planets with hardly anyone to shoot lasers at), by the time you get there, you’re dead. Now you might think that if you can just go fast enough, you’ll get there before you die, but there’s a problem.
That problem, as Albert Einstein tells us, is the speed of light. Light, in a vacuum, travels at just short of 300 million meters per second, fast enough to get from Earth to the moon in a little over a second. The thing is if you’re chasing a light beam,...
That problem, as Albert Einstein tells us, is the speed of light. Light, in a vacuum, travels at just short of 300 million meters per second, fast enough to get from Earth to the moon in a little over a second. The thing is if you’re chasing a light beam,...
- 5/3/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
When it comes to the most influential sci-fi releases that popularised space operas, Star Wars is often the obvious pick, which broke industry records upon debuting back in 1977. Others would argue it’s Frank Herbert’s Dune, which hit the shelves back in 1965 and ended up revolutionizing the sci-fi landscape, serving as an inspiration for George Lucas’ Star Wars.
But while Dune was indeed a monumental success, it was Charlton Heston’s Planet of the Apes that laid the foundation for space operas on the silver screen.
Planet of the Apes Laid the Foundation for Space Operas on the Silver Screen Charlton Heston in a still from Planet of the Apes | 20th Century Studios
Long before Star Wars took the world by storm and David Lynch‘s Dune made its way to the theatres in 1984, 1968 saw Planet of the Apes making its debut on the silver screen. While A Space...
But while Dune was indeed a monumental success, it was Charlton Heston’s Planet of the Apes that laid the foundation for space operas on the silver screen.
Planet of the Apes Laid the Foundation for Space Operas on the Silver Screen Charlton Heston in a still from Planet of the Apes | 20th Century Studios
Long before Star Wars took the world by storm and David Lynch‘s Dune made its way to the theatres in 1984, 1968 saw Planet of the Apes making its debut on the silver screen. While A Space...
- 5/2/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
If the most terrifying horror monsters are the ones that most reflect real-life terror, then cinematic cannibals might be the most terrifying monsters of all. Unlike vampires, werewolves, or ghosts, cannibals on film are fully flesh-and-blood humans — just with a taste for the flesh and blood of other humans. The garishness of the act makes cannibalism a perfect subject for shock horror, and the cannibal film fully came alive in the ’70s and ’80s via low-budget splatter triumphs like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Cannibal Holocaust,” which pitted their protagonists against horrific waves of flesh eaters.
In recent years, cannibalism has had a bit of a “moment” — on film, at least. As The New York Times pointed out in 2022, a wave of movies, TV shows, and books exploring cannibalism has emerged in popular culture, from “Yellowjackets” to “Bones and All” to “Fresh.” Many of these projects use the practice as...
In recent years, cannibalism has had a bit of a “moment” — on film, at least. As The New York Times pointed out in 2022, a wave of movies, TV shows, and books exploring cannibalism has emerged in popular culture, from “Yellowjackets” to “Bones and All” to “Fresh.” Many of these projects use the practice as...
- 4/18/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
"Planet of the Apes" has consistently been a science-fiction franchise (and one of the best we have), but the movies come in different sci-fi flavors. The original was a time travel story (even if Charlton Heston's lead George Taylor took the long way around via cryogenesis), culminating in the shocking ending right out of "The Twilight Zone" where Taylor discovers the shattered Statue of Liberty and realizes this ape-ruled world was Earth all along.
The third movie, "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," saw the talking apes travel back to the 1970s when humans reigned. Subsequent films filled in the timeline, depicting the uprising that led to the planet of the apes. The new films (the so-called Caesar trilogy) have done the reverse, starting at the beginning and taking the route of contemporary speculative fiction. Things have only come full circle with the fourth film, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,...
The third movie, "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," saw the talking apes travel back to the 1970s when humans reigned. Subsequent films filled in the timeline, depicting the uprising that led to the planet of the apes. The new films (the so-called Caesar trilogy) have done the reverse, starting at the beginning and taking the route of contemporary speculative fiction. Things have only come full circle with the fourth film, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
As a brief prologue, we must remind ourselves how Rotten Tomatoes works. When a critic submits a written review to the Rt aggregate, they are asked to deem that review either "fresh" or "rotten." The critic typically gets to make the distinction, meaning a 2.5-star review can be either positive or negative, based on who is submitting it. It's based on pass/fail grades. Rotten Tomatoes will then create a percentage of "positive" reviews. If 60% or more of the submitted reviews are positive, the film is deemed "fresh." If 59% or fewer are positive, it's "rotten."
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
If a film has, say, a 73% approval rating, it doesn't mean that every critic gave it a 73 out of 100. It only means that 73% of the submitted reviews are positive.
All that said, some films receive such low approval ratings that one might be able to draw some logical conclusions about the film being rated. A...
- 3/31/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Of all the movies debuting this summer, I am most looking forward to "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." This series has been on a roll since the 2011 reboot and I'm excited to see it take a new direction more akin to the original films
300 years after the events of "War for the Planet of the Apes," Ape-kind has entered its Bronze Age. They've also forgotten Caesar's first teaching — "Apes together strong!" — and splintered into different and warring tribes. The chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) must go on a journey after his people are attacked by apes from the kingdom of Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). The trailers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" have been teasing the state of this new ape-ruled world. Green forestry has reclaimed the land and the apes live in the shadow of decaying structures built by humans (think of how people in the...
300 years after the events of "War for the Planet of the Apes," Ape-kind has entered its Bronze Age. They've also forgotten Caesar's first teaching — "Apes together strong!" — and splintered into different and warring tribes. The chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) must go on a journey after his people are attacked by apes from the kingdom of Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand). The trailers for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" have been teasing the state of this new ape-ruled world. Green forestry has reclaimed the land and the apes live in the shadow of decaying structures built by humans (think of how people in the...
- 3/30/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
There’s almost nothing as powerful as a good redemption story, and Moses — yes, that Moses — has one of the most compelling redemption arcs in human history.
Testament: The Story of Moses is the new documentary series exploring his life, from his exile as an outcast and murderer to eventual prophet and liberator. The three episodes take the story of Moses far deeper than the conventional wisdom generated by history classrooms and Charlton Heston; in other words, even if you think you know Moses, you have no idea. The new three-part series is directed by Benjamin Ross.
“Anyone who has seen The Ten Commandments as a child was well aware of the more epic elements of the tale,” producers Emre Sahin and Kelly McPherson told Netflix. “The burning bush, the plagues, Passover, the Red Sea, and, of course, the Ten Commandments. What really drew us in was the mystery...
Testament: The Story of Moses is the new documentary series exploring his life, from his exile as an outcast and murderer to eventual prophet and liberator. The three episodes take the story of Moses far deeper than the conventional wisdom generated by history classrooms and Charlton Heston; in other words, even if you think you know Moses, you have no idea. The new three-part series is directed by Benjamin Ross.
“Anyone who has seen The Ten Commandments as a child was well aware of the more epic elements of the tale,” producers Emre Sahin and Kelly McPherson told Netflix. “The burning bush, the plagues, Passover, the Red Sea, and, of course, the Ten Commandments. What really drew us in was the mystery...
- 3/27/2024
- by Amanda Richards
- Tudum - Netflix
At the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, native Pennsylvanian Janet Gaynor made history as the first American-born performer to win an Oscar by taking the Best Actress prize for her body of work in “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel,” and “Sunrise.” Over the subsequent 95 years, 215 more thespians originating from the United States won the academy’s favor, meaning the country has now produced 68.1% of all individual acting Oscar recipients. Considering the last decade alone, the rate of such winners is even higher, at 70.3%.
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).
Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
By delivering performances that add up to almost four and a half hours, the four acting Oscar winners of 2024 came within six minutes of setting a new academy record for highest single-year screen time average. Ultimately, they landed in fifth place with a mean of one hour, four minutes, and 57 seconds, thus becoming only the 12th winning quartet (and sixth in 10 years) to exceed 60 minutes.
Newly crowned Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) are credited with a whopping 81% of their foursome’s screen time total, respectively clocking in at 1:53:10 and 1:37:19 and outpacing all of the 2024 nominees by at least four minutes. Supporting honorees Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) gave the fourth and sixth shortest nominated performances of the year, reaching individual screen times of 23:50 and 25:29.
Considering this group’s screen time percentages,...
Newly crowned Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) are credited with a whopping 81% of their foursome’s screen time total, respectively clocking in at 1:53:10 and 1:37:19 and outpacing all of the 2024 nominees by at least four minutes. Supporting honorees Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) gave the fourth and sixth shortest nominated performances of the year, reaching individual screen times of 23:50 and 25:29.
Considering this group’s screen time percentages,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Since 1940, the record for highest average screen time between same-year lead acting Oscar winners has been held by Robert Donat and Vivien Leigh (“Gone with the Wind”), whose mean of one hour, 54 minutes, and 43 seconds will likely never be surpassed. Nonetheless, there is a brand new pair in second place, as 2024 Best Actor and Actress champs Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”) came within 10 minutes of dethroning the long-reigning duo. Indeed, both together and separately, their especially lengthy performances inspired several brushes with Oscars screen time history.
Murphy was specifically awarded for one hour, 53 minutes, and 10 seconds of acting work, while Stone clocked in slightly lower at one hour, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds. Understandably, each far outpaced all of their fellow nominees, respectively landing 27 and 22 minutes above their lineups’ averages. Their own average of one hour, 45 minutes, and 15 seconds makes them only the second pair of lead victors to exceed 100 minutes.
Murphy was specifically awarded for one hour, 53 minutes, and 10 seconds of acting work, while Stone clocked in slightly lower at one hour, 37 minutes, and 19 seconds. Understandably, each far outpaced all of their fellow nominees, respectively landing 27 and 22 minutes above their lineups’ averages. Their own average of one hour, 45 minutes, and 15 seconds makes them only the second pair of lead victors to exceed 100 minutes.
- 3/12/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Christopher Nolan is no stranger to winning critical acclaim, but his biopic based on the life of the troubled, unfaithful, Bhagavad Gita-spouting father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer, has earned him more awards more than any other movie he has ever done, including ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Inception’ and ‘Dunkirk’.
For starters, Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, after becoming the second highest-grossing R-rated film in Hollywood history after ‘Joker’, notched up 12 Oscar nominations, far more than the eight each of ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Inception’ and ‘Dunkirk’.
The blockbuster hit ended up with seven Oscars, far less than the 11 each of the Charlton Heston classic, ‘Ben Hur’, ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’, and even the eight each of ‘Gandhi’ and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.
But for Nolan, it must come as a big relief to have finally broken his Oscars jinx and going home with the Best Director trophy,...
For starters, Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, after becoming the second highest-grossing R-rated film in Hollywood history after ‘Joker’, notched up 12 Oscar nominations, far more than the eight each of ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Inception’ and ‘Dunkirk’.
The blockbuster hit ended up with seven Oscars, far less than the 11 each of the Charlton Heston classic, ‘Ben Hur’, ‘Titanic’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’, and even the eight each of ‘Gandhi’ and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.
But for Nolan, it must come as a big relief to have finally broken his Oscars jinx and going home with the Best Director trophy,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Pageantry. Screw ups. Touching tributes. Private beefs made public. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Oscars. But they all amount to partaking in, witnessing, movie history in its many forms — the high art, the gossip, the record-breaking moments when an arthouse director becomes a household name.
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
- 3/10/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
“Oppenheimer” is the most nominated film at this year’s Oscars with 13 nominations. That’s one shy of the all-time record of 14 nominations so it missed out on Oscars history in the nomination phase.
However, Universal’s movie could match Academy Awards history in the awards phase by equalling the record of 11 Oscar wins overall. So far, three films have won 11 Academy Awards. They were “Ben-Hur” in 1960, “Titanic” in 1998, and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2004. Here’s the breakdown of what awards they won.
“Ben-Hur”
Best Picture — Sam Zimbalist Best Director — William Wyler Best Actor — Charlton Heston Best Supporting Actor — Hugh Griffith Best Film Editing Best Cinematography (Color) Best Music (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) Best Costume Design (Color) Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Color) Best Sound Recording Best Visual Effects
*”Ben-Hur” was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Karl Tunberg...
However, Universal’s movie could match Academy Awards history in the awards phase by equalling the record of 11 Oscar wins overall. So far, three films have won 11 Academy Awards. They were “Ben-Hur” in 1960, “Titanic” in 1998, and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2004. Here’s the breakdown of what awards they won.
“Ben-Hur”
Best Picture — Sam Zimbalist Best Director — William Wyler Best Actor — Charlton Heston Best Supporting Actor — Hugh Griffith Best Film Editing Best Cinematography (Color) Best Music (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) Best Costume Design (Color) Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Color) Best Sound Recording Best Visual Effects
*”Ben-Hur” was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Karl Tunberg...
- 3/8/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Based on the entire history of the Oscars, Best Actor is the category that typically features the longest nominated performances, and that certainly rings true this year. While the modern academy has seen fit to recognize several unusually short lead male turns, they refrained from doing so in 2024 and instead made the current lineup the first since 2019’s to exclusively include actors who pass the one-hour and 50% screen time marks. By both metrics, this constitutes only the 14th such instance ever.
The 2024 Best Actor nominees have an average screen time of one hour, 25 minutes, and 54 seconds, or 64.31% of their respective films. These amounts are over 15 minutes and 5% greater than those applying to the 2023 contenders. In terms of actual time, their average is the eighth highest in the category’s 96-year existence, while their percentage mean is the 20th highest.
The last 10 winners of this award appeared on screen for an average of one hour,...
The 2024 Best Actor nominees have an average screen time of one hour, 25 minutes, and 54 seconds, or 64.31% of their respective films. These amounts are over 15 minutes and 5% greater than those applying to the 2023 contenders. In terms of actual time, their average is the eighth highest in the category’s 96-year existence, while their percentage mean is the 20th highest.
The last 10 winners of this award appeared on screen for an average of one hour,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
The 2024 Oscar race is on, and one film has the potential to accomplish a feat that hasn’t happened in 64 years. “Oppenheimer” leads the nominations with 13, and it’s on track to win several of those categories. If Christopher Nolan‘s epic claims Best Picture, Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), it will be the first time since 1960 that the same film (“Ben-Hur”) has won those three exact categories. And it would be only the fourth time it’s ever happened.
See Cillian Murphy interview: ‘Oppenheimer’
Since the Best Supporting Actor category was introduced in 1937, only three films have walked away with Best Picture as well as both male acting categories. In 1945, the inspirational musical comedy “Going My Way” not only became the highest-grossing film of 1944, but also won seven of its ten Oscar nominations, making it the big winner of the night. Beside the top prize,...
See Cillian Murphy interview: ‘Oppenheimer’
Since the Best Supporting Actor category was introduced in 1937, only three films have walked away with Best Picture as well as both male acting categories. In 1945, the inspirational musical comedy “Going My Way” not only became the highest-grossing film of 1944, but also won seven of its ten Oscar nominations, making it the big winner of the night. Beside the top prize,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
If you’ve been keeping up with The Test of Time, you have probably learned what the rules are in terms of what we tackle. Those rules, of course, are that there are no rules whatsoever and we cover whatever sounds good or we think would be an interesting topic. In the Mouth of Madness (watch it Here) came out in Italy in late 1994 and that means, gulp, that movie is now 30 years old. It came during an interesting time in the master of horrors career when he was running flop after flop and being disappointed by studios interference and stars that weren’t willing to be true collaborators. It’s the ending of a loose trilogy and in some people’s estimation his last great film. Is In the Mouth of Madness a tale that stands the Test of Time, or should it be put in the bargain bin...
- 2/28/2024
- by Andrew Hatfield
- JoBlo.com
Just 30 minutes after final voting for the Screen Actors Guild Awards wrapped up, I made a last-minute switch in my best actress prediction — from Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.” Let this be a lesson: Second-guessing yourself is seldom a good idea.
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
- 2/25/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Planet of the Apes is one of the most successful and durable science fiction franchises in Hollywood history. Starting in 1968 with the original film, the Apes series has generated more than $2.1 billion in box office grosses over the course of just nine movies, with a highly-anticipated 10th entry, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, due for release this May. The property has also spawned both a live-action and animated TV series, books, comics, video games, and toys – the latter produced in the wake of the first film’s success and arguably the template for future movie merchandising campaigns.
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again with blockbuster pop culture milestones like Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous others, Hollywood at the beginning was loathe to touch the property. After publicist-turned-producer Arthur P. Jacobs secured the rights to the novel upon which the original film was based,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
The Screen Actors Guild has been presenting its annual life achievement award for many decades. The most recent recipient for 2024 was double Oscar winner Barbra Streisand.
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
- 2/14/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
You can’t keep a good ape down.
While 2017’s “War of the Planet of the Apes” was a fitting conclusion to the latest trilogy in the (second) rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise, more monkey business is headed our way. The first full trailer for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” dropped during the Super Bowl on Sunday, and showed that the battle on the gridiron was no match for a big Hollywood spectacle.
The new film, out on May 10, is directed by Wes Ball (“The Maze Runner”) and stars motion-capture ape renderings performed by Owen Teague (Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s son in “You Hurt My Feelings”), Kevin Durand, and William H. Macy. The part of the doe-eyed human female (wearing the requisite rags) is played by “The Witcher” star Freya Allan.
The new film is set 300 years after the last one, where apes have ascended to supremacy and...
While 2017’s “War of the Planet of the Apes” was a fitting conclusion to the latest trilogy in the (second) rebooted “Planet of the Apes” franchise, more monkey business is headed our way. The first full trailer for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” dropped during the Super Bowl on Sunday, and showed that the battle on the gridiron was no match for a big Hollywood spectacle.
The new film, out on May 10, is directed by Wes Ball (“The Maze Runner”) and stars motion-capture ape renderings performed by Owen Teague (Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s son in “You Hurt My Feelings”), Kevin Durand, and William H. Macy. The part of the doe-eyed human female (wearing the requisite rags) is played by “The Witcher” star Freya Allan.
The new film is set 300 years after the last one, where apes have ascended to supremacy and...
- 2/12/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes met Chiefs Kingdom for a Super Bowl spot during the Kansas City Chiefs-San Francisco 49ers game.
20th Century is behind the film, which takes place hundreds of years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). In this world, apes have become the dominant species, with humans living a nearly feral existance. It shows one ape ruler enslaving others as he seeks out ancient human technology, while a different ape works with a youhg human woman on a quest for freedom.
Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Eka Darville, Kevin Durand, William H. Macy and Dichen Lachman star in the feature, which is from director Wes Bal.
The Apes movies began life in 1968 with the Charlton Heston-led Planet of the Apes, which was loosely based on the 1963 novel from Pierre Boulle.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
20th Century is behind the film, which takes place hundreds of years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). In this world, apes have become the dominant species, with humans living a nearly feral existance. It shows one ape ruler enslaving others as he seeks out ancient human technology, while a different ape works with a youhg human woman on a quest for freedom.
Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Peter Macon, Eka Darville, Kevin Durand, William H. Macy and Dichen Lachman star in the feature, which is from director Wes Bal.
The Apes movies began life in 1968 with the Charlton Heston-led Planet of the Apes, which was loosely based on the 1963 novel from Pierre Boulle.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
- 2/11/2024
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you hate every chimp you see, from chimpan-a to chimpan-z, then you'll definitely want to look away from the Super Bowl trailer for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes." Director Wes Ball's follow-up to the critically acclaimed prequel trilogy picks up long after the fall of the human empire and the reign of Caesar, focusing on new protagonist Noa (Owen Teague) as he finds himself brought into conflict with evolved ape leader Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
Enough time has passed on Earth that there's little left of human civilization aside from crumbling, greenery-covered ruins, and the events of the prequel trilogy have been largely lost to time. Noa, for example, has no idea who Caesar is, while to others he's become almost a religious figure. "You're seeing the influence and the evolution of what Caesar left," Durand told Empire earlier this year, explaining that Proximus Caesar is...
Enough time has passed on Earth that there's little left of human civilization aside from crumbling, greenery-covered ruins, and the events of the prequel trilogy have been largely lost to time. Noa, for example, has no idea who Caesar is, while to others he's become almost a religious figure. "You're seeing the influence and the evolution of what Caesar left," Durand told Empire earlier this year, explaining that Proximus Caesar is...
- 2/11/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Franklin J. Schaffner's 1968 sci-fi classic "Planet of the Apes," written by Michael Wilson and Rod Serling, is a perfectly wicked political satire set in a distant, distant future on a distant, distant planet wherein human-like beings live as mute brutes and apes have evolved into the dominant rulers of the planet. The planet is discovered by a group of Earth astronauts who flew through some sort of time vortex while in the outer cosmos, and their leader, the stalwart Taylor (Charlton Heston), finds himself having to prove to the planet's own apes that humans are indeed capable of speech and thought.
In one of the best-known twist endings in cinema history, the film ultimately reveals that the planet of the apes was Earth all along. Taylor discovers a millennia-old Statue of Liberty on a distant beach, realizing that humans destroyed themselves in a nuclear conflagration and that apes evolved in their place.
In one of the best-known twist endings in cinema history, the film ultimately reveals that the planet of the apes was Earth all along. Taylor discovers a millennia-old Statue of Liberty on a distant beach, realizing that humans destroyed themselves in a nuclear conflagration and that apes evolved in their place.
- 2/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
For most of us, the Planet of the Apes movies have always been around. Spanning five decades and ten movies – and counting – it’s hard to imagine a world without that race of hyper-intelligent monkeys and their everlasting war against man. We take this extended universe for granted, but it wasn’t always this way. It’s probably not hard to believe that at one time, the concept of a world populated by talking apes wasn’t thought of as a box office draw, and if it hadn’t been for the determination of a handful of true believers in the material, we may never have gotten one movie, let alone an entire franchise. So let’s go back in time a bit to a world without Dr. Zaius and the gang and find out Wtf Happened to Planet of the Apes?
We’re going back as far as 1963, when...
We’re going back as far as 1963, when...
- 1/31/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
If there’s one thing apes are afraid of besides drowning, it’s George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa. To avoid conflict at the box office during Memorial Day weekend, 20th Century Studios‘ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is moving to May 10 to avoid Furiosa’s wrath. The new date pushes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes up by two weeks, giving the Wes Ball-directed action film time to earn more bananas at the box office before Furiosa inevitably leaves other releases in the dust.
The new date finds Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes competing with Focus Features’ Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, Sony’s horror comedy Horrorscope, and an untitled release from Angel Pictures. It’s also worth mentioning that Mark Lindal’s The Garfield Movie, starring Chris Pratt as the voice of the Monday-hating, lasagna-eating orange Persian tabby...
The new date finds Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes competing with Focus Features’ Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, Sony’s horror comedy Horrorscope, and an untitled release from Angel Pictures. It’s also worth mentioning that Mark Lindal’s The Garfield Movie, starring Chris Pratt as the voice of the Monday-hating, lasagna-eating orange Persian tabby...
- 1/12/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Jeymes Samuel, aka The Bullitts, directed a Western in 2021 called "The Harder They Fall," which took the names of real post-Civil War cowboys and gunslingers and put them into a highly stylized, highly fictionalized adventure story that was exhilarating to watch and refreshingly complex. What Samuel seemed to be doing was reclaiming the Western genre from the hands of boors like John Wayne and his associated "white savior" stories that, for many Hollywood generations, deliberately ignored the Black experience.
Samuel now takes a similar approach to the Hollywood Biblical epic with "The Book of Clarence," an exciting, ambitious, sloppy, but somewhat excellent New Testament remix, replete with a mishmash of tones, anachronisms, and interesting ideas. "Clarence" sees Jerusalem in Ad 33 as the setting of a modern crime drama, wherein the title character (Lakeith Stanfield) interacts with a slap-happy John the Baptist (David Oyelowo), his own bitter twin brother Thomas the...
Samuel now takes a similar approach to the Hollywood Biblical epic with "The Book of Clarence," an exciting, ambitious, sloppy, but somewhat excellent New Testament remix, replete with a mishmash of tones, anachronisms, and interesting ideas. "Clarence" sees Jerusalem in Ad 33 as the setting of a modern crime drama, wherein the title character (Lakeith Stanfield) interacts with a slap-happy John the Baptist (David Oyelowo), his own bitter twin brother Thomas the...
- 1/9/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
He’s your huckleberry and also apparently your guide. To mark the 30th anniversary of Tombstone, Val Kilmer, who played gunfighter/dentist/Wyatt Earp Bff in the 1993 western, posted behind-the-scenes footage he shot during the making of the film.
Stamped with “August 26th, 1993”, the footage shows trailers marked “Doc” and “Wyatt”, for lawman Earp as played by Kurt Russell. The footage then shows Russell outside of his trailer, with cameraman Kilmer assuring him, “You’ve arrived! You’re a pro!” Russell then shows photos of himself and the real Earp side by side, challenging the viewer to figure out who is who, even referencing an old Memorex ad just to further date the clip.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Val Kilmer (@valkilmerofficial)
The cast of Tombstone is a stacked one, with Sam Elliott and Michael Biehn in key roles, not to mention a slew of actors who have sadly passed since,...
Stamped with “August 26th, 1993”, the footage shows trailers marked “Doc” and “Wyatt”, for lawman Earp as played by Kurt Russell. The footage then shows Russell outside of his trailer, with cameraman Kilmer assuring him, “You’ve arrived! You’re a pro!” Russell then shows photos of himself and the real Earp side by side, challenging the viewer to figure out who is who, even referencing an old Memorex ad just to further date the clip.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Val Kilmer (@valkilmerofficial)
The cast of Tombstone is a stacked one, with Sam Elliott and Michael Biehn in key roles, not to mention a slew of actors who have sadly passed since,...
- 12/31/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
By now, "Planet of the Apes" fans have made peace with the fact that, despite representing one of the longest-running and widely influential franchises ever made, these simian stories aren't typically considered a frontrunner for the best or most successful franchises in cinema history. The spotlight inevitably goes to more traditional picks, and it's easy to figure out why. The "Apes" movies don't have a sexy "hook" compared to most others, opting for a much nerdier, more thoughtful, and eminently pessimistic approach to sci-fi. Those of us who'd consider ourselves initiated in this club, however, would say those are the fundamental reasons that make "Planet of the Apes" so great and so idiosyncratic, at the same time.
Then again, maybe the relatively insular nature of the series can be explained elsewhere. For obsessives like ourselves, much of the "Apes" appeal is that the unique property can't resist thoroughly downer endings,...
Then again, maybe the relatively insular nature of the series can be explained elsewhere. For obsessives like ourselves, much of the "Apes" appeal is that the unique property can't resist thoroughly downer endings,...
- 12/20/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Leonard Bernstein — the composer of West Side Story and considered one of the world’s greatest conductors — has lived rent-free in Bradley Cooper’s head since 2018, when Steven Spielberg met with him about what was going to be a straightforward biopic of a musical genius. Somehow, Spielberg knew that Cooper had been obsessed with conducting since he was a child. Not because he was some kind of musical prodigy, but because of an episode of The Bugs Bunny Show in which the hero conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, arms flailing wildly.
“Growing up, there was always classical music playing in the house,” Cooper recalls. “So, because of the cartoons I was watching, I used to wave my hands about and pretend that I was creating the music that I was hearing. One Christmas I asked Santa, and all of a sudden I had a baton that I was able to wield.
“Growing up, there was always classical music playing in the house,” Cooper recalls. “So, because of the cartoons I was watching, I used to wave my hands about and pretend that I was creating the music that I was hearing. One Christmas I asked Santa, and all of a sudden I had a baton that I was able to wield.
- 12/6/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
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