MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Heart-thumping action-adventure, top-notch motion-capture technology, and breathtaking landscapes all wrapped in a visually stunning film with seamless world-building and rich lore and history, the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is surely going to be one of the biggest and most exciting cinema events of 2024.
But before we get to experience this cinematic treat on May 08, we have the trailers to delve deep into and build theories about. Let’s break it down:
1. Is this an ode to the Rise?
In the first scene of the trailer, we see Mae and other humans running, in the thick of the forest, being chased down by apes. In the beginning of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the situation was different, with humans hunting down and running after the apes – to be experimented on.
Is this a deliberate move to signify that the roles have now been reversed?
2. He calls himself the next Caesar
Proximus Caesar, the new “king” of the new ape colony, knows about Caesar and apes’ coexistence with humans the most and is threatened by the existence of Mae, a human with above average intelligence.
With Proximus, from Latin meaning “the next,” is he claiming to be the next great leader of the ape colony or is he trying to erase all memories of Caesar to make himself an all-powerful king?
3. The chimpanzee and orangutan parallel
The ever-reliable Maurice, who stayed by Caesar’s side through various wars, and until his very last breath, was arguably one of the most beloved characters from the Planet of the Apes franchise. A new Orangutan character, now in the form of Raka, is once again accompanying the main protagonist, Noa, who, like Caesar, is a Chimpanzee.
We see Raka on Noa’s side – and staying with him in his journey to uncover the truth about humans and their coexistence with apes. Seeing Raka wearing Caesar’s diamond symbol for a necklace, we can deduce that he is an ally of Caesar, or at least his teachings. Is Raka going to be the voice of reason for Noa that Maurice once was to Caesar? Is Raka going to be as loyal to Noa until the very end?
4. A name they give all humans
We were first introduced to Nova, a young girl infected by the virus that wiped almost half of the human population and was “adopted” by the apes after her father’s death in War for the Planet of the Apes.
In the Kingdom trailer and other new clips, we see Noa being persuaded by Raka to give Mae a jacket, seeing how much she’s freezing. Raka then proceeded to mention how they name all humans Nova: “We will name her Nova. We name them all Nova.”
What significant role did Nova play in the years after Caesar’s death that seemed to have made her a mythical character herself, at least in the new ape world? What fate awaits Mae in the hands of the apes?
5. Noa and… his ark?
The new film’s new protagonist, young Noa, is grappling with the realization that everything that they have been told has been a lie.
With Proximus using a large abandoned ship as his base, and Noa well, being called Noa, it’s not difficult to connect the dots and assume that it might be a reference to the story of Noah from the bible who saved his family and animals from a severe flood and was tasked to establish a covenant.
Will Noa be the next ape king that would be given the Herculean task of saving the entire ape colony? Can a young and inexperienced ape lead a continuously evolving species?
The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an epic action-adventure spectacle that welcomes a new beginning, a new world where apes rule and humans live in the shadows. Save your seats now and experience the adventure best in IMAX®, Dolby Cinema®, 4DX, and premium screens everywhere on May 08.
