Planet of the Apes Movies in Order: Chronological & Release Guide

Few franchises have aged as stubbornly as Planet of the Apes. Over 55 years, the series has churned out 10 films split across three separate continuities — and sorting through the original pentalogy, a failed 2001 remake, and the modern reboot can catch even dedicated fans off guard. The good news: once you see the pattern, the whole thing clicks into place. Below is a complete guide to every Planet of the Apes movie in release order, chronological story order, and viewing recommendation.

Total movies: 10 · Original series: 5 (1968-1973) · Reboot trilogy: 3 (2011-2017) · Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: 2024 · Tim Burton remake: 2001

What is the correct order of the Planet of the Apes movies?

The Planet of the Apes franchise runs across four distinct continuities: the original five-film series (1968–1973), Tim Burton’s standalone remake (2001), and the modern reboot trilogy (2011–2017) extended by Kingdom (2024). Each continuity tells its own story, with no shared canon between them.

Release order

The simplest path follows when each film hit theaters. That order is: Planet of the Apes (1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), Planet of the Apes (2001), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) Radio Times. Watching in release order gives you the franchise as audiences originally experienced it across half a century.

Chronological story order

For those who want the story unfolding in-universe, the reboot films come first chronologically. According to Rotten Tomatoes’ viewing guide, the correct story-chronological sequence runs: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), then Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), Planet of the Planet of the Apes (1968), and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) Rotten Tomatoes. The original films technically begin in year 3955 AD, though Beneath (1970) retroactively adjusted that from 3978 AD ScreenRant.

What order should I watch Planet of the Apes?

Two main viewing paths dominate fan discussions: the release-order approach and the reboot-first approach. Each serves a different kind of viewer.

Recommended for newcomers

Most guides, including Rotten Tomatoes, recommend starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) for viewers new to the franchise. The reboot films offer modern CGI, a coherent narrative arc, and the performance-capture work of Andy Serkis as Caesar that helped redefine what digital characters could achieve ScreenRant. The three films — Rise, Dawn, and War — form a complete trilogy with improving Rotten Tomatoes scores: 82%, 91%, and 94% respectively Rotten Tomatoes.

Full franchise path

For completists determined to watch everything, the full franchise path depends on your patience. Start with the reboot trilogy (Rise, Dawn, War), then jump to Kingdom (2024), and finish with the original pentalogy. The 2001 Tim Burton remake can be watched at any point or skipped entirely — it is a standalone film not connected to either timeline ScreenRant. The Rotten Tomatoes score for Burton’s film sits at 42%, reflecting the mixed reception it received Rotten Tomatoes.

How to Watch the Planet of the Apes Movies in Chronological Order?

Story-chronological order rearranges the franchise by in-universe dates rather than release dates. The reboot timeline begins in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, depicting the ape uprising origin story Wikipedia.

Prequel timeline first

The reboot films establish their own internal chronology. Rise takes place in 2028 and follows Caesar’s early development of intelligence. Dawn jumps ahead to 2031. War for the Planet of the Apes continues that trajectory, with Kingdom set approximately 300 years later ScreenRant. Director Wes Ball explained in an interview that choosing to set Kingdom three centuries forward from War allowed the franchise to explore an entirely new societal development among apes ScreenRant.

Original series placement

The original pentalogy takes place on a future Earth where astronaut Taylor (Charlton Heston) discovers a world ruled by intelligent apes Fandango. When watched story-chronologically, the sequence shifts: Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) actually precedes the events of the original 1968 film, followed by Conquest (1972), Battle (1973), then the 1968 film, and finally Beneath (1970) Rotten Tomatoes. This reordering was noted in fan discussions as the “true” chronological sequence for the original series.

What is the sequence of the new Planet of the Apes movie?

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) continues the reboot timeline. Its sequence within the reboot series is fourth, following Rise, Dawn, and War Radio Times. The film stars Owen Teague as Noa, alongside Freya Allan and Peter Macon Wikipedia. Production began in October 2022 at Disney Studios Australia Wikipedia.

Reboot series details

The reboot films were directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise), Matt Reeves (Dawn, War), and Wes Ball (Kingdom) Wikipedia. Screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver developed the reboot concept, building Caesar’s character arc from laboratory experiment to revolutionary leader Wikipedia. The franchise grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide across the first three reboot films, demonstrating the series’ commercial revival after the 2001 failure.

What are the 5 Planet of the Apes movies?

The original pentalogy consists of five films released between 1968 and 1973 Rotten Tomatoes. These films established the franchise’s core themes of humanity, evolution, and societal conflict.

Original quintet

The five original films are: Planet of the Apes (released 1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (released June 29, 1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (released June 15, 1973) Wikipedia. Rotten Tomatoes scores for these films range from 86% for the original down to 33% for Battle, reflecting declining critical reception as the series progressed Rotten Tomatoes.

Step-by-Step: How to Watch the Planet of the Apes Movies

Ten films, three continuities, one simple choice: watch for narrative satisfaction or watch for historical completeness. Here is how to approach each path.

Step 1: Choose your starting point

• If you want the best entry point: start with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). It is the most critically acclaimed modern retelling and requires no prior knowledge.
• If you are a completist: start with the original Planet of the Apes (1968) to understand where the franchise began, then proceed in release order.
• If you want the worst film first: start with Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes (2001) — but skip it entirely if you value your time.

Step 2: Select your viewing path

• Modern reboot path (3 films + Kingdom): Rise (2011) → Dawn (2014) → War (2017) → Kingdom (2024). Total runtime approximately 7.5 hours.
• Complete release order (10 films): Planet (1968) → Beneath (1970) → Escape (1971) → Conquest (1972) → Battle (1973) → Planet (2001) → Rise (2011) → Dawn (2014) → War (2017) → Kingdom (2024).
• Story-chronological order (10 films): Rise (2011) → Dawn (2014) → War (2017) → Kingdom (2024) → Escape (1971) → Conquest (1972) → Battle (1973) → Planet (1968) → Beneath (1970).

Step 3: Decide what to skip

• Tim Burton’s 2001 remake can be skipped entirely — it is standalone and not connected to any continuity.
• Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score among the originals (37%) — consider skipping if you are short on time.
• Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) scored 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest of the entire franchise.

Step 4: Find where to stream

Streaming availability varies by region and platform. As of 2024, Disney+ holds the streaming rights to the reboot trilogy and Kingdom. The original pentalogy may require rental or purchase on digital platforms. The 2001 remake is occasionally available on various streaming services but is not a priority for most franchise collections.

Timeline of Planet of the Apes Films

Five decades, ten films, and four separate continuities — the franchise timeline reveals both its longevity and its fragmented nature.

The pattern shows a 28-year gap between the original pentalogy ending in 1973 and the 2001 remake, followed by a ten-year gap to the reboot in 2011. The franchise then maintained a steady release cadence of one film every three to four years through 2024.

Confirmed Facts vs. Rumors

What the Experts Say

A decade after Tim Burton’s 2001 remake failed to revive the intelligent-primate property, Rise of the Planet of the Apes rebooted it and then some.

— Fandango Editorial

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, director Wes Ball explained his choice to set the movies three centuries forward from the last movie — a decision that allowed for entirely new character dynamics and societal structures.

— Screen Rant

The contrast between the 2001 remake’s failure and the reboot trilogy’s success underscores a fundamental point: the Planet of the Apes franchise works when it focuses on character development and social allegory rather than spectacle alone. War for the Planet of the Apes achieved a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score in part because it treated Caesar’s arc with the emotional weight of a war drama rather than a franchise exercise Rotten Tomatoes.