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Planet of the Apes Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Planet of the Apes movies in order

Last updated: April 8 2026

Written by: ChronoAlice

The Planet of the Apes franchise is one of science fiction's most enduring sagas, spanning over five decades and multiple timelines. The modern Caesar trilogy — beginning in 2011 — is a stunning achievement in storytelling and visual effects, while the original 1968 classic remains a landmark of the genre.

Planet of the Apes has reinvented itself multiple times since Charlton Heston first set foot on a familiar-but-changed world in 1968. The original film series, a 2001 Tim Burton remake, and the acclaimed modern trilogy starring Andy Serkis as Caesar each tell distinct stories. For most viewers today, the modern trilogy — Rise, Dawn, and War — is the essential watch, offering one of the most emotionally powerful and technically dazzling trilogies in modern blockbuster cinema.

🕐 Release Order

Release order covers the entire franchise from the 1968 original through the 2024 continuation. Watching in this order lets you appreciate how each era of the franchise approached the source material.

  1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
  2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
  3. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
  4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
  5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
  6. Planet of the Apes (2001)
  7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
  8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
  9. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
  10. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

The 2001 Tim Burton remake is a standalone film with no connection to the other series. The modern trilogy (2011–2017) and its 2024 continuation form their own separate timeline from the original 1968 series.

📖 Story Chronology

For the modern timeline (the most recommended starting point), the story unfolds in a straightforward linear order from Caesar's birth through to the world many generations later in Kingdom.

  1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
  2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) — set 10 years later
  3. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) — set 2 years after Dawn
  4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) — set generations later

Which Order Should You Choose?

For new viewers, start with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and watch the modern trilogy in order. Rise, Dawn, and War together form one of the finest trilogies of the 2010s — emotionally gripping, visually spectacular, and anchored by Andy Serkis's extraordinary motion-capture performance as Caesar. After completing the trilogy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) offers an exciting new chapter set in the same world. The original 1968 classic is also worth watching for its historical significance and iconic twist ending — but it's not required to enjoy the modern films.

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