The Evolution of Planet of the Apes: From Tim Burton to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Paul Giamatti's Role in Planet of the Apes

Released in 2001, Planet of the Apes is a Burton-directed entry into the franchise that sees an Air Force astronaut who lands on a foreign planet where apes are the dominant force against a race of more primitive humans. In addition to Giamatti, the film stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, David Warner, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Estella Warren.

Kingdom of the planet of the apes image with an ape on horseback riding towards an overgrown city

Speaking with GQ, Giamatti recounts the odd compliment that led him to receive his role in Planet of the Apes. While Giamatti " hDidn’t audition," for the role, Burton approached the actor to say that he "look[ed] like a monkey," so he wanted to give him a part in the film. While Giamatti’s agents expressed trepidation towards his role, the actor was insistent that he "want[ed] to play an ape."

An ape on a horse rides up to a dark tunnel.

The notion that I could be in one of those [movies] was mind-blowing to me. I didn't audition for that. Tim Burton came to me with that, because I guess he was like, 'You look like a monkey, so I'll have you do this.' It was one of the funnest things I've ever done. I was covered head to toe, shoulders in a fat suit, and my feet, and my agents were like, 'Don't you think you should play a human, so they can see your face?' And I was like, 'If you tell them I want to play a human in this, I will kill you all. I want to play an ape!'

A ape society next to an ocean in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The Evolution of the Planet of the Apes Films

While it has gained somewhat of a cult following over the years, Planet of the Apes was widely panned at the time of its release. The film currently holds a 44% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, with an even lower audience score of 27%. Giamatti and the other ape characters were seen as goofier in this version, which was released before the advent of more sophisticated CGI and motion capture technology for the apes.

An ape holds up a torch to look at the underground tunnel in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The 2010s Planet of the Apes trilogy took a vastly different approach from Burton’s version, setting the films on Earth in a plot that originated from a corrupt laboratory experiment in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Through this choice, the Planet of the Apes trilogy felt a lot more grounded in displaying power dynamics that borrowed from human nature rather than a sci-fi recasting of society. This potency is especially visible in War for the Planet of the Apes, which takes the ape-versus-human battle to a larger scale in an epic film.

Freya Allan as Mae hiding in tall grass in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Now, the Planet of the Apes universe will expand further as the series continues for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Set just over three centuries after the end of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes casts a new set of ape characters as they reform society years after Caesar has passed. Like the 2010s trilogy, this film will differ from the choices of Burton's Planet of the Apes significantly. Hopefully, they will do so successfully as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes prepares for release on May 24, 2024.

Apes on horseback in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes