Summary
Following the release of the original film in 1968,Planet of the Apeshas become one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time. The first filmstarring Charlton Hestonis a science-fiction classic and led to four sequels releasing in the 1970s –Beneath the Planet of the Apes,Escape from the Planet of the Apes,Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, andBattle for the Planet of the Apes. In 2001, a remake of the original, starring Mark Wahlberg and directed by Tim Burton, was released.
Much of the franchise’s greatest box office success did not occur until the 2011 debut ofRise of the Planet of the Apesand the other prequels that followed. The prequels used motion capture technology to bring the apes to life, withAndy Serkis playing Caesarin the trilogy comprisingRise of the Planet of the Apes,Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, andWar for the Planet of the Apes. The financial success of the most recent prequel,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, proves that the franchise is still a box office juggernaut.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes(2014)
War for the Planet of the Apes(2017)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes(2011)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes(2024)
Beneath the Planet of the Apes(1970)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes(1972)
Battle for the Planet of the Apes(1973)
$2.5 Billion
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Box Office Explained: Was It A Success Or A Flop?
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes had a solid performance at the box office during its theatrical run. Now that it’s over, was it a success or a flop?
10Battle For The Planet Of The Apes (1973)
$8 Million
With earnings of $8 million,Battle for the Planet of the Apeswas the lowest-grossing entry in the franchiseat the time of its release in 1973. 51 years later, it is still the franchise’s lowest-grossing film, a record that is unlikely to ever be broken.Battle for the Planet of the Apeswas made on a budget of just under $2 million, ultimately making it profitable, but it failed to be more profitable than the original film or any of the other sequels that preceded it.
For decades,Battle for the Planet of the Apesseemingly brought the franchise to an end. This was due to many factors, one of which was the franchise’s waning box office returns with each new theatrical release. Ironically, elements ofBattle for the Planet of the Apes’narrative would go on to influence the story of the prequel trilogy that rebooted the franchise years later, with those films being far more financially successful.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Cast
In a post-apocalyptic world, Caesar endeavors to create a community where apes and humans live together in peace. His efforts are threatened by General Aldo, who leads a faction of gorillas intent on asserting dominance over humans. Simultaneously, a group of human survivors, scarred by radiation and driven by a desire for retribution, pose an external threat to the fragile peace. The escalating tensions lead to an epic confrontation that will decide the fate of both species and the future of the planet. The film explores themes of leadership, unity, and the struggle for coexistence.
9Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes (1972)
$9 Million
Conquest of the Planet of the Apesgrossed $9 million against a budget of under $2 million. Similar to the previous sequel, Escape from the Planet of the Apes,Conquest of the Planet of the Apes' profitability was saved by the fact that it was made on such a low budget. Big-budget sequels and prequels were not as common in the 1970s as they would become in later years, including with the later installments in thePlanet of the Apesfranchise.
With the originalPlanet of the Apesgrossing $33 million, each sequel earning less, andConquest of the Planet of the Apesonly making $9 million at the box office, even being profitable on a small budget could not hide the direction the franchise was heading in. Each film was becoming less profitable than the one before it. The future of the franchise started to become more questionable, with the sequels not living up to the success of the original.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
In a future society where apes are subjugated and forced into servitude by humans, Caesar, the son of renowned apes Cornelius and Zira, is raised in secrecy. As he becomes aware of the widespread mistreatment of his fellow apes, Caesar takes a stand against the oppressive human regime. He galvanizes the apes, leading them in a rebellion that ignites a war for liberation. Through strategic planning and sheer determination, Caesar and his followers confront their oppressors, setting the stage for a new era.
8Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971)
$12 Million
With bothPlanet of the ApesandBeneath the Planet of the Apesbeing box office successes,Escape from the Planet of the Apesneeded to continue the trend to keep the franchise going.Escape from the Planet of the Apesonly grossed $12 million at the box office, but it was made with a budget of only $2 million, an even smaller budget thanBeneath the Planet of the Apeshad. This meant thatEscape from the Planet of the Apeswas successful enough, even though it grossed less than its predecessors.
The two sequels that followed,Conquest of the Planet of the ApesandBattle of the Planet of the Apes, were made becauseEscape from the Planet of the Apesillustrated that the franchise was still financially viable.Escape from the Planet of the Apes' success was also important for the franchise, as it showed that an installment could still do well without the star power of Heston at the forefront of the story. Heston only appeared momentarily in flashbacks, with Zira and Cornelius being the film’s main characters.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Set after the events of Beneath the Planet of the Apes, three apes, Cornelius, Zira, and Dr. Milo, are brought from the future to 1970s America. Initially treated as celebrities, the trio soon faces fear and prejudice from humans who see them as a threat to mankind’s supremacy, forcing them to fight for their right to exist.
7Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1970)
$19 Million
Beneath the Planet of the Apeswas the first sequel to the originalPlanet of the Apesand only the second film in the franchise. It showed that there was widespread interest in seeing the science-fiction universe further expanded asthe sequel grossed $19 million against a $2.5 million budget. This was even more impressive considering that it was supposed to have a budget of $5 million, but 20th Century Fox reduced it to $2.5 million after several of their other films underperformed at the box office.
The 1970 film began its theatrical run with an opening weekend gross of $250,000 in a mere four theaters and was among the top ten highest-grossing releases that weekend. It ultimately did not earn as much as its predecessor and did not receive the same level of adoration from critics and audiences. It was still profitable, though, which led to more sequels quickly being developed and released in the early years of the 1970s.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Astronaut Brent’s quest to locate his missing comrade Taylor leads him to a dystopian future Earth where intelligent apes reign supreme. While searching for Taylor, Brent stumbles upon a hidden society of telepathic mutants living beneath the planet’s surface. These mutants, who idolize a doomsday nuclear weapon, pose a significant threat to the apes.
6Planet Of The Apes (1968)
$33 Million
By today’s standards, the originalPlanet of the Apes' box office numbers may not look impressive, but it was a commercial hit at the time. The 1968Planet of the Apesearned $33 million at the box office against a budget of just under $6 million, cementing itself as a highly profitable film. It wasamong the highest-grossing movies of 1968following its release, and it was among the highest-grossing science-fiction movies of all time.
One of the few other movies to outperform it at the 1968 box office was another science-fiction classic, Stanley Kubrick’s2001: A Space Odyssey. While Kubrick’s film made more at the box office,Planet of the Apeskick-started an enduring and still ongoing franchise. Without the initial box office success ofPlanet of the Apes, the many financially lucrative sequels and prequels that followed would not have come to fruition.
5Planet Of The Apes (2001)
$362 Million
Despite being critically panned,Burton’s 2001Planet of the Apesperformed well at the box office. On a budget of $100 million, it went on to gross $362 million worldwide, earning $180 million domestically and $182 million internationally. During its opening weekend, it made $68 million, which was the second-best opening debut in 2001, with only the highly anticipated film adaptation ofHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stonesurpassing it with $90 million.
At the time, the 2001Planet of the Apes' opening weekend set a new record for a 20th Century Fox film as its $68 million debut exceeded the previous record holder,Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which made $64 million during its first weekend in 1999.Planet of the Apes' international performances were also impressive, as it became one of the highest grossing movies to be released in other countries, including Mexico and Brazil. Nevertheless, the harsh reviews and audience reception prevented a sequel from happening, and the franchise stalled until it was rebooted a decade later.
Planet of the Apes
In 2029, Leo Davidson ventures through a space-time storm to rescue his chimp friend, landing on Ashlar, a world ruled by talking apes. With newfound allies, he uncovers his spacecraft’s fate and sparks a revolt against ape tyranny. Saved by his chimp companion, Leo returns to Earth, but discovers a deeply disturbing reality.
4Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (2024)
$396 Million
There was uncertainty about how wellKingdom of the Planet of the Apeswould perform at the box office as the story moved forward without the presence of Caesar and seven years after the culmination of the critically acclaimed prequel trilogy. A new cast of characters did not have a negative impact on the newest installment as it earned $396 million globally, grossing $170 million domestically and $225 million internationally. Its budget was $160 million, meaning the film has exceeded the breakeven point and become profitable.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesstarted off strong in its opening weekend with $58 million, which at the time, was the third-best debut of any theatrical film in 2024, with onlyDune: Part TwoandGodzilla x Kong: The New Empireahead of it. It remains one of thehighest-grossing movies of 2024. WithKingdom of the Planet of the Apesplanned as the start of a new trilogy, its box office success and generally positive critical and audience reception means that more sequels will follow.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
3Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)
$481 Million
Rise of the Planet of the Apeshad the difficult task of rebooting the franchise, a decade after the reviled 2001 remake and 43 years after the beloved original film. The prequel exceeded all expectations as it made $481 million worldwide on a $93 million budget. It earned $54 million in its opening weekend, even though it was only projected to gross around $35 million, and instead had one of the best all-time openings for a film released in August.
Both domestic and internationalaudiences flocked to seeRise of the Planet of the Apes, generating $176 million domestically and $305 million internationally. The undeniable financial success and positive critical and audience reception meant that the franchise wouldn’t have to wait a decade or more to release the next installment, with a direct sequel,Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, releasing only three years afterRise.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A prequel and reboot to the Planet of the Apes franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes stars James Franco as pharmaceutical chemist Will Rodman. While working with apes, Rodman befriends Caesar (Andy Serkis), a particularly intelligent chimpanzee. Not all humans are as gentle with the apes as Rodman, however, and Caesar is destined to start the line of super-intelligent apes that will one day inherit the Earth.
2War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017)
$490 Million
War for the Planet of the Apesconcluded the prequel trilogy revolving around Caesar with a box office triumph, as it grossed $490 million globally against a $150,000 budget.The 2017 film demonstrated that the franchise had not lost its appealsince it was revived in 2011 withRise of the Planet of the Apes.War of the Planet of the Apes'$490 million earnings and $56 million opening weekend were even higher than whatRise of the Planet of the Apesachieved in 2011.
Much of this success was due to the $343 million made internationally, which accounted for 70% of the overall gross for the trilogy capper. Even thoughWar for the Planet of the Apesprovided a satisfying and conclusive ending to Caesar’s story, its box office victories helped to ensure that it wasn’t the end of the franchise. This led to the development ofKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, a prequel without Caesar that took place many centuries later in the timeline.
War for the Planet of the Apes
War for the Planet of the Apes is an action-adventure movie directed by Matt Reeves and is a sequel to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. In the film, Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his mythic quest to avenge his kind.
1Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)
$710 Million
While most of this franchise’s films have done well at the box office, none of them have reached the heights ofDawn of the Planet of the Apes.The sequel toRise of the Planet of the Apesgrossed a staggering $710 million worldwideagainst a $170,000,000 budget, making it the most profitable and highest-grossing installment in the long-running franchise. In its opening weekend alone, it made $72 million, which remains the best opening for any film in the franchise.
By the end of 2014,Dawn of the Planet of the Apeswas the eighth highest-grossing film of the year. It only made $4 million less than 2014’sCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, often considered to be one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best movies. While thePlanet of the Apesfranchise continues to do well at the box office, it will be intriguing to see if any of the future films will ever be able to surpassDawn of the Planet of the Apes' towering numbers.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
A decade after a deadly virus decimates humanity, a burgeoning society of intelligent apes, led by Caesar, finds its peaceful existence threatened by a group of human survivors who stumble upon their sanctuary. As both sides grapple with fear and mistrust, Caesar works to broker peace despite growing hostilities. The tension escalates, leading to a dramatic clash that will determine the future of both species.
