If any sci-fi film this year manages to come close to “ Dune 2 “, then it’s most likely “Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom”, as the new trailer proves.
On February 29, 2024, “Dune 2” will finally hit German cinemas, marking the long-awaited sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 sci-fi behemoth. But anyone who thinks that this will mark the pinnacle of sci-fi for the year might be mistaken: Because nearly two months later, on May 8, 2024, the continuation of another sci-fi series, awaited for even longer at seven years, will hit theaters. “Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom” is both a sequel and a soft reboot, at least the beginning of a completely new storyline that delves even deeper into the aspects of the film series that made it a blockbuster hit.
A teaser trailer released in late 2023 already delivered promising images: gigantic landscapes of monumental significance, ruins of a long-forgotten civilization from which the ruling species of the planet tries to distance itself, yet becomes eerily similar in a terrible way. A brand-new trailer, released during Super Bowl LVIII, truly pulls out all the stops to announce an emotional, thrilling, and spectacular adventure:
“Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom”: Apes and humans have more in common than they’d like to admit The story of “Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom” picks up around 300 years after the events of “Planet of the Apes: Survival”, which you can watch along with the entire series and classics on the Disney+ streaming service. Humans are no longer a threat – neither to themselves, other beings, nor to nature itself. The primates now rule the planet. However, the peace for which Caesar once gave his life is on the verge of fading away. Some don’t even remember who they owe all of this to, while others worship and idolize him. And so, the tyrannical Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand) gathers a deluded army around him, gradually enslaving all primates. Only one chimpanzee dares to rebel against him. Together with the human woman Mae (Freya Allan), Noa (Owen Teague) could once again change the course of time. Just as Caesar did once.
This time, filmmaker Wes Ball, who has already shown an eye for dystopian settings with his “Maze Runner” trilogy, directed. “Planet of the Apes: New Kingdom” likely served as a very good exercise for his next film, “The Legend of Zelda”. The screenplay was penned by Patrick Aison (“Prey”), Josh Friedman (“War of the Worlds”), and Rick Jaffa (“Avatar: The Way of Water”). The sci-fi adventure film boasts an excellent cast with Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, William H. Macy, Peter Macon, Dichen Lachman, Sara Wiseman, as well as Neil Sandilands and Lydia Peckham. However, most of them understandably might not be easily recognizable.
Science fiction is certainly one of the most exciting film genres out there.
