To watch the Planet of the Apes movies in order, choose release order for a first viewing: the original five films, the standalone 2001 reimagining, then the modern sequence from Rise through Kingdom. For only the modern story, watch Rise, Dawn, War, and Kingdom.
The apparent chronology is more complicated than a single ten-film timeline. The franchise contains an original five-film cycle shaped by time travel, a separate 2001 reimagining, and a modern Caesar continuity that jumps several generations before Kingdom.
Key takeaways
- Release order is the best way for a first-time viewer to watch the Planet of the Apes movies because it preserves the franchise’s original reveals.
- The modern Caesar continuity is a four-film sequence: Rise, Dawn, War, and Kingdom.
- The original continuity contains five films, but its chronology is complicated by time travel and an altered history.
- The 2001 Tim Burton film is a standalone reimagining, not a chapter between the 1973 original and the 2011 reboot.
- There are ten released feature films in the franchise through Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024), although an older Blu-ray collection contains nine.
How do I watch the Planet of the Apes movies in order?
For a first viewing, watch the Planet of the Apes movies in release order: the original five films from 1968 through 1973, the standalone 2001 reimagining, and the modern four-film continuity from 2011 through 2024. For only the Caesar story, watch Rise, Dawn, War, and Kingdom.
The franchise is not one uninterrupted timeline. The films fall into three groupings: the original five-film cycle, Tim Burton’s separate 2001 reimagining, and the modern Caesar continuity. Keeping those groupings separate prevents the most common viewing-order mistake: treating the 2001 film as a missing sequel or prequel.
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What is the Planet of the Apes release-date order?
Release order is the recommended order for new viewers. The sequence below follows the theatrical release dates and includes all ten released feature films through 2024.
| # | Film | Release date | Continuity | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Planet of the Apes | February 8, 1968 | Original cycle | Taylor crash-lands on a planet ruled by intelligent apes. |
| 2 | Beneath the Planet of the Apes | May 26, 1970 | Original cycle | Another astronaut searches for Taylor and discovers a subterranean human society. |
| 3 | Escape from the Planet of the Apes | May 21, 1971 | Original cycle | Cornelius and Zira travel through time to an earlier Earth. |
| 4 | Conquest of the Planet of the Apes | June 30, 1972 | Original cycle | A talking chimpanzee leads an ape uprising against human enslavement. |
| 5 | Battle for the Planet of the Apes | June 15, 1973 | Original cycle | Apes and humans attempt coexistence while conflict grows inside the ape community. |
| 6 | Planet of the Apes | July 27, 2001 | Standalone reimagining | Tim Burton’s version follows astronaut Leo on an ape-dominated planet. |
| 7 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes | August 5, 2011 | Modern Caesar continuity | Caesar develops human-like intelligence after exposure to an experimental drug. |
| 8 | Dawn of the Planet of the Apes | July 11, 2014 | Modern Caesar continuity | Apes and human survivors struggle after a Simian flu pandemic. |
| 9 | War for the Planet of the Apes | July 14, 2017 | Modern Caesar continuity | Caesar’s apes face an army led by the Colonel. |
| 10 | Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes | May 10, 2024 | Modern Caesar continuity | The story moves several generations beyond Caesar’s reign. |
The dates and official summaries for the original films are documented by 20th Century Studios’ film pages for the original cycle. The modern entries and their release dates are listed on the studio pages for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, War for the Planet of the Apes, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
The original film introduces astronaut George Taylor, who crash-lands on a strange world where intelligent apes govern society and humans are treated as primitive. The film’s discoveries are designed to unfold in release order, which is why beginning with a later chronological placement would weaken its impact. The official synopsis is available from 20th Century Studios.
2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
The first sequel follows another astronaut searching for Taylor. The search expands the setting beyond the ape city and introduces a subterranean human society. Beneath directly continues the original film’s story and supplies the time-travel premise that makes the original cycle’s chronology unusual. See the official synopsis for Beneath the Planet of the Apes.
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Escape shifts the perspective to Cornelius and Zira, who travel to present-day Earth after events connected to Beneath. The film then moves the story into an earlier period of human history, setting up the altered sequence of events explored by the next two movies. The time-travel setup is summarized on the official film page.
4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Conquest depicts the ape revolution that follows the altered history created by Escape. A talking chimpanzee becomes the central figure in an uprising against a system of human enslavement. The film’s position after Escape makes sense in release order and in the original cycle’s broad time-travel chronology. Its studio synopsis is available at 20th Century Studios.
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5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
Battle follows the attempt by apes and humans to coexist after the revolution, while divisions develop within the ape community. The film completes the original five-film cycle. Its ending also reinforces why the original series should be treated as a time-travel story with an altered history rather than forced into a perfectly straight timeline. Read the official Battle synopsis.
6. Planet of the Apes (2001)
Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes is a separate reimagining starring Mark Wahlberg as astronaut Leo. The 2001 film has a different protagonist, premise, and continuity from both the 1968–1973 cycle and the modern Caesar films. Watch it after the original cycle in a complete release-order marathon, or watch it separately as an optional standalone. The studio identifies the film as its own reimagining on the official 2001 film page.
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7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Rise begins the modern continuity and introduces Caesar, whose intelligence develops after exposure to an experimental drug. The film is not a direct continuation of the 1968 film cycle; it establishes a new version of how the ape-dominated future develops. The modern story starts with the official Rise synopsis.
8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Dawn takes place after a Simian flu pandemic and follows the fragile relationship between Caesar’s ape colony and surviving humans. The film expands the consequences of Rise from Caesar’s personal origin to the wider collapse and reconstruction of human society. The official release and story details appear on the Dawn film page.
9. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
War brings Caesar into direct conflict with an army led by the Colonel. The film continues the modern trilogy’s character-focused story and should be watched after Rise and Dawn, not before them. The official War page provides the studio’s synopsis and release information.
10. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Kingdom is the fourth film in the modern continuity and takes place several generations after Caesar’s reign. The film introduces a new ape protagonist and a different political landscape, so Kingdom is a sequel to the modern Caesar films in continuity but not a story set immediately after the final scene of War. Watch Kingdom last in the modern sequence. Its time setting and premise are described on the official film page.
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What is the chronological order of the Planet of the Apes movies?
There is no single clean chronological order for all ten films because the franchise has three continuities and the original cycle uses time travel. The useful chronological orders are therefore continuity-specific.
Modern Caesar continuity: the clean chronological order
The modern Planet of the Apes chronology is straightforward: Rise establishes Caesar’s origin, Dawn follows the pandemic and the ape colony, War brings Caesar into conflict with the Colonel, and Kingdom jumps several generations beyond Caesar.
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
For viewers interested only in the modern story, this four-film order is the best choice. The older films are not required to understand Caesar’s continuity.
Original five-film cycle: the broad chronological order
The broad chronological order for the original cycle is Escape, Conquest, Battle, Planet (1968), and Beneath. This arrangement treats the time-travel events in Escape as the starting point of the altered history that eventually leads to the world seen in the first two released films.
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- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)
- Planet of the Apes (1968)
- Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
This is an analytical chronology, not necessarily the best first-viewing order. Escape begins from circumstances connected to the end of Beneath, travels to an earlier period on Earth, and changes the history that follows. The studio descriptions of Beneath and Escape explain the time barrier and the journey to present-day Earth.
Where does the 2001 film belong chronologically?
Planet of the Apes (2001) does not belong inside either chronological sequence. The Tim Burton film is a standalone reimagining, so there is no useful place to insert it between Battle and Rise, or between any of the modern Caesar films.
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Which viewing order should you choose?
| Viewer | Recommended order | Why | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time viewer | All ten in release order | Preserves original reveals and shows how the franchise evolved. | The tone, effects, and continuity change substantially between eras. |
| Modern-franchise viewer | Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom | Provides the cleanest character and historical arc. | Leaves the original cycle and 2001 reimagining unwatched. |
| Continuity-focused viewer | Original five separately; modern four separately; 2001 optional | Keeps each continuity internally coherent. | Requires treating the franchise as several stories rather than one saga. |
| Completionist | All ten in release order, then continuity-specific rewatches | Combines historical context with a clearer chronological analysis afterward. | Requires watching some films more than once to compare timelines. |
Should you watch the old Planet of the Apes movies before Rise?
You do not need to watch the old Planet of the Apes movies before Rise. Rise begins a separate modern continuity and explains its own version of Caesar’s origin. Watching the 1968 film first is recommended only if you want the franchise’s historical release experience or want to compare two different approaches to the premise.
A practical compromise is to watch the modern sequence first—Rise, Dawn, War, and Kingdom—then return to the original five-film cycle. That order gives the modern films uninterrupted momentum without presenting the older movies as required backstory.
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Yes. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a sequel within the modern continuity, but it is set several generations after Caesar’s reign rather than immediately after War for the Planet of the Apes. Kingdom introduces a new ape protagonist and political landscape while building on the world established by the Caesar films.
How many Planet of the Apes movies are there?
There are ten released Planet of the Apes feature films through Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024): five original films, one 2001 reimagining, and four modern-continuity films. The count is derived by enumerating the official studio film entries in scope, from the 1968 film through the 2024 film.
Some retail pages refer to a nine-movie collection because the Planet of the Apes: 9-Movie Collection Blu-ray was released in 2018, before Kingdom. The nine-film box contains the original five, the 2001 film, and the modern trilogy through War; it does not include the 2024 film. The dated product listing is documented by Best Buy.
Where can you watch all the Planet of the Apes movies?
Streaming availability changes by country, date, subscription plan, and licensing window, so no single service should be assumed to carry all ten films permanently. Hulu maintains an official Planet of the Apes collection page and a guide to watching the films; check the U.S. catalog and the current plan requirements on the day you watch.
For a complete marathon, compare the current streaming or digital-rental listings for each title individually. Physical media can be more predictable for the older films, but the documented nine-film Blu-ray collection does not include Kingdom.
What is the best way to rewatch the franchise?
Watch all ten films in release order if the goal is to experience the franchise as audiences encountered it. Afterward, rewatch the original five as a separate time-travel cycle and the modern four as a continuous Caesar-era story. Leave the 2001 film as an optional standalone comparison rather than trying to reconcile it with either timeline.
The 1968 film also has a separate place in film history: the Academy Film Archive’s National Film Registry holdings document its selection in 2001. That recognition is one reason a release-order marathon remains valuable even for viewers primarily interested in the modern films. The archive document is available from the Academy Film Archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I watch the Planet of the Apes movies in release order?
For a first viewing, watch all ten films in release order: the original five films, the 2001 standalone reimagining, and the four modern films from Rise through Kingdom. Release order preserves the franchise’s original reveals.
Do I need to watch the old Planet of the Apes movies before Rise?
No. Rise of the Planet of the Apes begins a separate modern continuity and explains Caesar’s origin without requiring the 1968–1973 films. Watch the older films first only if you want the franchise’s historical release experience.
Is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes a sequel to War?
Yes, Kingdom is a sequel within the modern continuity, but Kingdom takes place several generations after Caesar’s reign. Kingdom introduces a new ape protagonist and political landscape rather than continuing immediately after War.
How many Planet of the Apes movies are there?
There are ten released feature films through Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). The frequently cited nine-film total refers to a 2018 Blu-ray collection released before Kingdom, so that older collection does not contain all ten films.
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The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Watch the Planet of the Apes movies in release order for a first viewing. Watch Rise → Dawn → War → Kingdom for the modern story, keep the original five-film cycle separate because of its time-travel structure, and treat the 2001 film as a standalone reimagining.
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