By FilmInk Staff
When it comes to rejuvenated IP, one of the best examples of recent years has unquestionably been the new approach applied to the classic Planet Of The Apes series. Quickly assigning Tim Burton’s misguided 2001 remake to the dumpster of movie history, Rupert Wyatt’s 2011 effort Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes breathed fresh life into the famous sci-fi cautionary tale, while the two follow-ups from director Matt Reeves (2014’s Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and 2017’s War For The Planet Of The Apes) upped the ante and raised the qualitative bar even higher.
A big hit with audiences and critics, the Apes series is now set to continue with Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes… in Sydney. “We’re thrilled to be in Sydney filming at the world-class Disney Studios Australia,” says Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios. “Planet of the Apes is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history and an indelible part of our studios’ legacy. The extraordinary director Wes Ball and cast and crew are continuing the series’ tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema. We can’t wait to share this new chapter with audiences in 2024.”
Formerly Fox Studios Australia, Disney Studios Australia (renamed with Disney’s acquisition of Fox) has played host to a massive array of blockbusters, and Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes will be one of the most highly anticipated. Only recently announced to be a continuation of the recent trilogy, the new film will be directed by Ball (The Maze Runner) and picks up many years after the conclusion of 2017’s War For the Planet of the Apes. Owen Teague (It), Freya Allan (The Witcher), Peter Macon (The Orville), Eka Darville (Jessica Jones) and Kevin Durand (The Strain) will star.
According to Minister for the Arts Tony Burke, the production receives $17million in support from the Australian government and funding from Screen NSW’s Made in NSW program, creating 400 local jobs and returning $128+ million into the Australian economy.
“I’m excited to welcome Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to Australia,” said Minister Burke in a statement. “This production will support jobs and give our leading digital and visual effects workers the opportunity to showcase their talents to global audiences.”
