Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Sequel: Status, Date and Cast
There is no release date for a Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel, and as of November 3, 2026 the next Apes film is still in development at 20th Century Studios. Matt Shakman is reported to direct from a script by Josh Friedman, and TheWrap says the story is new and original, not a direct continuation of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). No title or cast has been reported.
What Is the Status of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Sequel?
The next Planet of the Apes film is in development, which means a director and writer are attached but no start of filming and no release date have been reported. TheWrap reported on May 6, 2026 that Matt Shakman is set to direct a new Apes film for 20th Century Studios, and Variety carried the same news. Josh Friedman is reported as writer, and Shakman, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are reported as producers.
The detail that matters most for anyone searching for a Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel is the story. TheWrap says Friedman is writing a new original story, and that the film is not a direct sequel to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), directed by Wes Ball. So, the phrase "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes 2" describes what many readers expect, but it is not how the project has been reported. Neither the Variety nor the TheWrap follow up included a studio statement, and the film has no title yet.
There is also a practical point for the franchise. Kingdom is the most recent released film, and it is the fourth of the modern run that began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). Where the new film sits in the story has not been stated. For the full list of released films, see all Planet of the Apes movies or the hub for Planet of the Apes movies.
Who Is in the Cast of the Next Planet of the Apes Movie?
No cast member has been confirmed or reported for the next Planet of the Apes film. The only names attached to the project are behind the camera: Matt Shakman as director and producer, Josh Friedman as writer, and Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver as producers. Variety reports the director and writer, and TheWrap reports the producers, so each of those credits is a report and not a studio announcement.
That leaves open whether anyone from Kingdom returns. Owen Teague played Noa, Freya Allan played Nova (credited as Nova / Mae) and Kevin Durand played Proximus Caesar in the 2024 film, and no report says whether any of them is involved. Because TheWrap calls the new film an original story and not a direct sequel, it would be a mistake to assume the Kingdom ensemble carries over. Wes Ball directed Kingdom, and no report places him on this project.
If you want to see who has played the franchise's best known apes so far, the Planet of the Apes cast page lists the actors by film, and Noa has his own profile for readers who want to know what Kingdom set up.
Rumors and Unconfirmed Reports About the Sequel
Apart from the Shakman hiring reports, nothing about the sequel has a confirmed source. The hiring news itself comes from trade outlets, so it is not a rumor, but every other detail is open: title, cast, setting, start of filming and release date.
There are a few strands to label plainly. The first is the 2027 window: a rumor level report from October 2024 says studio president Steve Asbell reportedly told another Apes film would arrive in 2027, and it remains unconfirmed. The second is older talk of a Kingdom sequel with Matt Reeves, which is unverified and looks outdated. The third is a January 2027 shoot in Sydney, also unverified and outdated in appearance, now that the project has been described as a new original story. Any claim that the film continues Noa's journey, or that it is set before or after a particular era, is speculation.
What We Know So Far, and Where to Start
What is firm is short: a director, a writer, three producers, a studio and a story described as new. In my opinion, the most telling word in the reporting is "original," because it suggests the studio may be weighing a fresh entry point over a straight continuation of Noa's story. It could be argued that this is a sensible hedge, since Kingdom (2024) earned about $397 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, against a $160 million budget, which is a solid result but below Dawn of the Planet of the Apes at about $711 million.
Perhaps the better question for readers is what to watch while waiting. The modern run is four films, and its release order and chronological order are the same: Rise (2011), Dawn (2014), War (2017) and Kingdom (2024). That is the answer to how to watch the new Planet of the Apes films in order. The five original films, from Planet of the Apes (1968) to Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), form a separate run, and Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes (2001) is a standalone remake that belongs to neither. Our Planet of the Apes movies in order guide sets out both orders, and the Planet of the Apes timeline shows where each run sits.
One naming trap is worth clearing up. The third modern film is War for the Planet of the Apes, not "War of the Planet of the Apes," and the film that follows it is Kingdom. To compare the two eras while the new film develops, Planet of the Apes original vs reboot covers it. If you are new, start with Rise, and check back here for the first confirmed date.
Facts
- The next Planet of the Apes film is in development at 20th Century Studios. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- Matt Shakman is reported as director of the next Planet of the Apes film. Variety, checked 2026-11-03
- Josh Friedman is reported as writer of the next Planet of the Apes film. Variety, checked 2026-11-03
- Matt Shakman, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are reported as producers of the next Planet of the Apes film. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- TheWrap reported the Shakman project on May 6, 2026, and describes it as a new original story and not a Kingdom sequel. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- No release date has been reported for the next Planet of the Apes film in the US, UK or Australia. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) was released in the US on May 10, 2024. The Numbers, checked 2026-11-03
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) had a production budget of $160,000,000. The Numbers, checked 2026-11-03
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) grossed $397,378,150 worldwide. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) runs 145 minutes. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
FAQs
Is there more Planet of the Apes movies coming?
Yes, one more is in development. 20th Century Studios has Matt Shakman reported as director of a new Planet of the Apes film, with Josh Friedman writing, according to Variety and TheWrap. It has no title, cast or release date as of November 3, 2026.
What is the sequel to War of the Planet of the Apes?
The sequel is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), directed by Wes Ball, and the 2017 film is correctly titled War for the Planet of the Apes. The next film now in development is reported as a new original story and not a direct follow up to Kingdom.
What is the fourth Planet of the Apes called?
It depends on the run. In the original series the fourth film is Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972). In the modern films the fourth is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), after Rise, Dawn and War.
Is Noa a descendant of Caesar?
No source describes him that way. Kingdom is set many generations after Caesar's death, and Noa is a young chimpanzee from a clan that bonds with eagles, whose father is Koro. No report on the next film says otherwise.
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