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Watch order

Planet of the Apes movie watch order

Twentieth Century Fox and 20th Century Studios Planet of the Apes theatrical films from the 1968 original through Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Release lists every US premiere—the classic five-film loop, Tim Burton’s 2001 remake, and Matt Reeves’s Caesar saga. Story follows only the Reeves reboot: Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom. The 1974 TV series stays optional. Sci-fi neighbors: Jurassic Park and Dune.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each Planet of the Apes theatrical film opened in the US—from Planet of the Apes (February 8, 1968) through Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 10, 2024). Best first path in 2026: watch in premiere order so the 1968 Statue of Liberty shock still lands before the Caesar reboot reshapes the brand.

  • First watch 2026 → Release: 1968 classic five in order, then Burton 2001, then Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom
  • Reeves saga only → Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom (skip classic and Burton if you only want Caesar)
  • Classic marathon → 1968 through Battle (1973) as one closed loop before any reboot
  • 1974 TV series → optional; not required for any film path on this page
Story order tips

Matt Reeves reboot saga only: Rise of the Planet of the Apes → Dawn of the Planet of the Apes → War for the Planet of the Apes → Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Four films; classic 1968–1973, Burton 2001, and optional TV stay off this tab.

  • 2011 → Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Caesar’s origin)
  • 2014 → Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
  • 2017 → War for the Planet of the Apes
  • 2024 → Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (latest Reeves-era chapter)

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Planet of the Apes

    Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingClassic sagaLive-action

    Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1968 sci-fi landmark strands Charlton Heston’s astronaut Taylor on a world ruled by talking apes—desert wastelands, mute humans, and a twist ending that invented the franchise’s loop-and-time-travel grammar for decades.

    Overview
    Practical makeup, inverted civilization satire, and a final-image reveal that still defines Apes pop culture. Correct first watch on Release so the original shock precedes every sequel and reboot.
    Related games
    Franchise opener. Classic loop continues into Beneath; Reeves saga begins later with Rise (2011). Neighbors: Jurassic Park and Terminator.
    Where it fits
    Start here on Release. On Story this classic is off-tab—the Reeves reboot is a separate continuity. Required before the 1970–1973 classic sequels.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release February 8, 1968 (20th Century Fox).
  2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes

    Beneath the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingClassic sagaLive-action

    Ted Post's 1970 sequel sends another astronaut beneath the ape city into telepathic mutant ruins—darker apocalyptic imagery and an ending that literally blows up the timeline so Escape can time-jump. Second classic on Release; not on Reeves Story tab.

    Overview
    Expands the ape world beneath the surface and pushes the original saga toward apocalyptic closure. Sets up the time-travel pivot of Escape.
    Related games
    Classic sequel two of five. Next on Release is Escape from the Planet of the Apes; Reeves saga begins much later.
    Where it fits
    Second on Release among classics. Watch after the 1968 film; Reeves Story tab starts later at Rise (2011).
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 27, 1970 (20th Century Fox).
  3. Escape from the Planet of the Apes

    Escape from the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingClassic sagaTime travel

    Don Taylor's 1971 chapter flips the premise—Cornelius and Zira flee the doomed future into 1970s Los Angeles, where celebrity scientists and government fear rewrite how apes rise on Earth. Third classic on Release; essential for the five-film loop's time-travel bridge.

    Overview
    Fish-out-of-water comedy turns into tragedy; the time-travel bridge that makes the classic five-film loop coherent. Essential for understanding how the 1968 future connects to Conquest.
    Related games
    Time-travel pivot of the classic loop. Next is Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) on Release.
    Where it fits
    Third on Release classics. Watch after Beneath; still off the Reeves Story tab that tracks only Caesar's reboot.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 21, 1971 (20th Century Fox).
  4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

    Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingClassic sagaLive-action

    J. Lee Thompson's 1972 prequel-revolution follows Caesar—the ape child of Cornelius and Zira—as he leads a slave uprising in a dystopian human city, echoing origin beats Reeves later remade in Rise. Fourth classic on Release; not the same Caesar as the 2011 reboot.

    Overview
    Urban revolt imagery and Caesar’s name enter franchise lore here. Watch classic Conquest before Rise if you want to see what the 2011 film reimagined.
    Related games
    Classic Caesar uprising chapter. Next is Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) to close the 1968 loop.
    Where it fits
    Fourth on Release classics. Reeves Rise is separate continuity with its own Caesar—watch classic Conquest first only if you want comparison context.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 14, 1972 (20th Century Fox).
  5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes

    Battle for the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingClassic sagaLive-action

    Thompson's 1973 finale closes the original five-film cycle—Caesar tries peace between apes and surviving humans while radioactive mutants return, looping the saga back toward the 1968 future. Fifth classic before Burton's hard reset.

    Overview
    Completes the classic closed loop so Planet of the Apes (1968) reads as future history. Endpoint of the 1968–1973 marathon before Burton or Reeves.
    Related games
    Classic saga closer on Release. Next theatrical is Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes (2001), then Reeves Rise (2011).
    Where it fits
    Fifth on Release classics. After this, Burton 2001 is a standalone remake—not a direct sequel to the loop.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 15, 1973 (20th Century Fox).
  6. Planet of the Apes

    Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingBurton remakeStandalone

    Tim Burton's 2001 remake sends Mark Wahlberg's astronaut Leo Davidson through an electromagnetic storm to another ape-dominated world—a glossy one-off with Burton gothic design and an ending that never received a theatrical sequel. Sixth on Release; off Story tab.

    Overview
    Standalone reimagining with Burton’s gothic production design and Rick Baker makeup. Treat as its own one-film shelf—not a bridge between classic and Reeves.
    Related games
    Standalone remake with no sequel on this page. Reeves reboot begins next with Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) on both tabs.
    Where it fits
    Sixth on Release; not on Story. Watch after the classic five if you want every theatrical; skip freely if you only want Reeves.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release July 27, 2001 (20th Century Fox).
  7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

    Rise of the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingReeves sagaLive-action

    Rupert Wyatt's 2011 soft reboot traces Caesar from lab chimp to revolutionary leader—Andy Serkis performance capture, ALZ-112/113 science, and a Golden Gate climax that launches the modern saga Story tab follows from here.

    Overview
    Grounded near-future science fiction that makes ape intelligence feel inevitable. Opens the Reeves-era continuity; first title on Story.
    Related games
    Reeves saga opener on Story. Release still has three prior blocks (classic five + Burton); next on Story is Dawn.
    Where it fits
    Seventh on Release; first on Story. Start here for Caesar's path even if you skipped classics and Burton entirely.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release August 5, 2011 (20th Century Fox).
  8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

    Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingReeves sagaLive-action

    Matt Reeves's 2014 sequel jumps years forward—Caesar's forest nation faces distrust, Koba's betrayal, and a fragile truce with human survivors in post-plague San Francisco. Second Reeves chapter on Story; required middle of the four-film reboot path.

    Overview
    Moral war drama inside blockbuster scale; Caesar vs Koba defines the reboot’s political spine. Required middle chapter on Story.
    Related games
    Second Reeves chapter. Next on both tabs is War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)—do not insert Burton or 1968 films here.
    Where it fits
    Eighth on Release; second on Story. Watch after Rise on either tab for Reeves continuity without inserting classics between.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release July 11, 2014 (20th Century Fox).
  9. War for the Planet of the Apes

    War for the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingReeves sagaLive-action

    Reeves's 2017 trilogy cap sends Caesar on a western odyssey against Woody Harrelson's Colonel—prison camps, mute humans, and a bittersweet endpoint before Kingdom jumps generations forward. Third on Story; emotional closer for Caesar's arc.

    Overview
    Apocalypse-western tone that finishes Caesar's trilogy on Story and sets mythic stakes Kingdom inherits centuries later without Caesar on screen.
    Related games
    Caesar trilogy closer before the time jump. Next theatrical on both tabs is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024).
    Where it fits
    Ninth on Release; third on Story. Required before Kingdom for Reeves continuity—classics and Burton remain optional context.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release July 14, 2017 (20th Century Fox).
  10. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

    Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

    TheatricalStreamingReeves sagaLive-action

    Wes Ball's 2024 chapter leaps generations after Caesar's era—Noa's journey through feral clans, human ruins, and echoing myths of the first king ape extends Reeves continuity without putting Caesar back on screen. Latest theatrical row on both tabs as of August 2026.

    Overview
    Post-Caesar world-building that treats the trilogy as legend while introducing new heroes—latest Reeves-era theatrical among released films.
    Related games
    Current Reeves-era endpoint on both tabs. Further sequels stay off until firm US dates exist; classics remain optional prehistory.
    Where it fits
    Last on Release and Story among released films. Watch after War for Reeves path; classics and Burton remain optional context.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 10, 2024 (20th Century Studios).

FAQ

Release vs Reeves reboot Story order, the classic five-film loop, Burton 2001 standalone, 1974 TV, and which path to pick for a first watch.

Watch order

Release is US premiere order—all ten theatricals. Story is only the Reeves reboot: Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom. The classic 1968–1973 films use time travel and a closed loop; they are not on the Story tab. First-time viewers should stay on Release unless they only want Caesar.

Timelines & loops

The original cycle—Planet of the Apes (1968) through Battle (1973)—uses time travel in Escape to connect past and future. Conquest and Battle show how apes rise on Earth; Beneath ends the far future so the loop can reset. Watch all five in Release order for that arc. It is separate from the Reeves reboot on Story.

Burton’s Planet of the Apes (2001) is a standalone remake—its own ending, no theatrical follow-up. On Release it sits after the classic five and before Rise. It is not on Story and does not connect to Caesar. Skip it if you only want classic + Reeves.

What's included

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.