Planet of the Apes Roars Back with Fantastic Four Director Matt Shakman at the Helm

If you thought the Planet of the Apes saga was quietly winding down after Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, here’s a surprise for you: it sounds like the franchise is prepping a comeback, but the studio – and their director of choice – are using a completely different playbook this time.

Not the Sequel Anyone Expected

Let’s rewind: when Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hit theaters, it was supposed to be the launchpad for a new trilogy, with a follow-up already penciled in for 2027. But after the initial buzz faded, so did the updates – literally nothing for about two years. It’s been the cinematic equivalent of radio silence (always a bit suspicious in franchise land).

Now, out of the blue, 20th Century Studios is moving forward with the next chapter. Here’s the twist: instead of continuing the Kingdom storyline, they’re hitting reset. The new movie won’t pick up where we left off. Instead, it’s an original story set in the Apes universe. So, if you were hoping for closure on Caesar’s descendants, looks like you’re out of luck.

Switching Gears Behind the Scenes

And here’s where it gets interesting. 20th Century has tapped Matt Shakman to direct. You’ve probably heard of him – he helmed all of WandaVision for Marvel and was behind The Fantastic Four: First Steps (which, sidebar, relocated Marvel’s First Family back to their 1960s comic-book roots). He’s also been attached to the notoriously cursed Star Trek 4 project at Paramount at one point. So the guy definitely specializes in iconic pop-culture franchises and apparently really likes the 1960s.

Screenplay-wise, they’re bringing back Josh Friedman. He wrote Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and also worked with Shakman on First Steps. This might sound like franchise continuity, but just to be clear: Deadline says this will not continue the 2024 storyline. No character carryovers, no lingering plotlines – they’re just not going there. No real plot teasers have surfaced yet, so your guess about what they’re doing with this world is as good as mine.

The Money Problem

If you’re wondering why they’re not going ahead with the original trilogy plan? Look at the box office. Kingdom landed positive reviews but barely broke even, earning $171 million in North America and a worldwide total of $397 million on a $160 million production budget. It’s actually the lowest grosser in the rebooted series that started with 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes. That probably spooked the bean counters at the studio just enough to make them rethink the whole setup, especially after rumors swirled when director Wes Ball took on The Legend of Zelda adaptation (also gunning for 2027). If your trilogy director jumps ship, that’s rarely a vote of confidence.

What Does This Mean for Fantastic Four?

• Matt Shakman’s currently lined up for the new Apes movie.
• Marvel’s Fantastic Four is slated for 2026, with the team set to appear in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
• No official sequel for Fantastic Four has been confirmed yet, but there are rumors Marvel wants one for 2028.
• If Shakman’s busy wrangling apes through at least 2027, Marvel will need to hunt for a new director for any future Fantastic Four flicks.

So, while the future of one reboot (Apes) gets a creative shakeup, another (Fantastic Four) might end up looking for fresh directorial blood – yet another ripple effect when studios play musical chairs with big-name filmmakers.

As for plot details or cast news on this new Apes adventure? Zip. But it’s clear that the studio is more interested in trying something new with the franchise than sticking with what (barely) worked last time.

'The new Planet of the Apes film will not be a continuation of the story in Kingdom, but instead a new original story set in the world.'

Not exactly what longtime fans were expecting, but at least this franchise isn’t extinct yet.