Planet of the Apes Movies in Order

The Planet of the Apes movies in release order are ten films across three runs, starting with Planet of the Apes (1968) and ending with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Nine belong to the main saga and one, the 2001 remake, is a spin-off. Here is the full list by year:

1. Planet of the Apes (1968), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner: astronauts crash into a lake on a planet where talking apes rule and humans are hunted.
2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), directed by Ted Post: a second crew arrives, and Brent rides with Nova toward Ape City to look for Taylor.
3. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), directed by Don Taylor: the chimpanzees Cornelius, Zira and Dr. Milo land in 1973 Los Angeles.
4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), directed by J. Lee Thompson: in 1991, Caesar, the talking son of Cornelius and Zira, sees apes bought and sold as labor.
5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973), directed by J. Lee Thompson: Caesar rules a village where apes and humans live together, and the ruins of the Forbidden City hold a threat.
6. Planet of the Apes (2001), directed by Tim Burton: pilot Leo Davidson follows a chimpanzee pod into a storm and crashes on an ape ruled world.
7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), directed by Rupert Wyatt: scientist Will Rodman raises a chimpanzee named Caesar in San Francisco.
8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), directed by Matt Reeves: ten years after a virus, a human group asks Caesar's colony for access to a dam.
9. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), directed by Matt Reeves: a ruthless Colonel hunts Caesar's colony, and Caesar goes after him.
10. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), directed by Wes Ball: many generations after Caesar, a young chimpanzee named Noa sets out to rescue his clan.

The three runs are easy to see by year. The original five arrived in a tight window from 1968 to 1973, with a new film every year from 1970 to 1973. The 2001 film sits alone, 28 years after Battle for the Planet of the Apes. The modern films then began in 2011 and followed in 2014 and 2017, with Kingdom arriving in 2024. If you are searching for the Planet of the Apes movies in order from the 2000s, there is exactly one: the 2001 remake, which is the only entry from that decade.

One naming trap catches newcomers. Two different films are called Planet of the Apes, so the year always matters: 1968 is the Charlton Heston original, and 2001 is the Tim Burton remake with Mark Wahlberg. For every title and cast list, see all Planet of the Apes movies, or return to the Planet of the Apes movies hub.

In my opinion, most new viewers should start with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and watch the four modern films in release order, which is also their chronological order. Those four films follow one idea from an animal lab in San Francisco to a world run by apes, and Caesar is the thread through the first three. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes works as a fresh start with a new lead, Noa, because it is set generations later.

Is it necessary to watch Planet of the Apes in order? It could be argued that it matters in two places only. In my opinion, the five original films are best watched in sequence, since each setup picks up from the one before, and Rise, Dawn and War are also best taken in order. Across the runs, though, you can pick either one without the other.

If you prefer the classics, start with Planet of the Apes (1968), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. It reads, in my opinion, as a self contained story, so you can stop there. Perhaps the better advice is to treat the sequels as a separate decision: the 1970s sequels were made on smaller budgets than the first film, and I would commit to them only if you enjoyed it.

As for the 2001 remake, I would leave it until last. It is a standalone film outside the other runs, and it is more interesting once you know what it departs from. My simple instruction: watch Rise, then Dawn, then War, then Kingdom, and go back to 1968 afterward if you want to see where the idea began.