After a 7-year hiatus, the Planet of the Apes franchise is expanding with the release of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. The highly anticipated film marks the fourth installment in the reboot film series. For newcomers to the franchise or those looking for a refresher, here’s how and where to stream all the Planet of the Apes in order. This includes streaming details for every Planet of the Apes movie on popular streaming services such as Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
In 1968, Planet of the Apes, the first film adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s novel of the same name, was released. The film tells the tale of an astronaut crew who land on a planet where apes have attained human-like intelligence and are now the dominant species instead of humans. It is considered one of the greatest sci-fi classics ever made due to its twist ending, political commentary, and groundbreaking costumes and makeup.
The film was such a hit that Fox quickly ordered a sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. Unfortunately, it is considered one of the worst films in the franchise due to losing sight of its political focus to elevate the action and humor. However, because it was a commercial success, the franchise continued with Escape from the Planet of the Apes in 1971. The movie is important addition to the Planet of the Apes saga because it was the first to introduce the most recognizable star of the franchise: Caesar.
While 20th Century Fox ordered two more sequels, the end of the series was in sight as the studio cut the budget significantly for the final films, and they received mixed reception. Afterward, the franchise received two TV series and speedy plans for a movie remake. However, the remake languished in developmental hell for 28 years before Planet of the Apes (2001) arrived.
Directed by Tim Burton and starring Mark Wahlberg, the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes was a financial success but received mixed reviews. 20th Century Fox ultimately decided to move forward with a separate reboot – Rise of the Planet of the Apes – in 2011. Andy Serkis stars as Caesar in the reboot series, which takes place before the Planet of the Apes and tracks how the Ape-run planet came to be.
The reboot series proved comparably successful to the beloved classic series and quickly received two sequels, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, before taking a long hiatus following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Fortunately, Disney saved and continued the series with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in 2024.
Where can I watch the Planet of the Apes franchise online?
For viewers looking to delve into the Planet of the Apes franchise, here is every movie and TV series available on streaming services – ordered by release date from newest to oldest.