Production on Disney Studios Australia, formerly known as Fox Studios Australia, in Sydney, New South Wales, has commenced on 20th Century Fox’s latest Planet of the Apes film, titled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
The film is being marketed as a brand-new entry in the Apes franchise, picking up a long time after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). The script was written by Patrick Aison, Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, and Josh Friedman. Currently, Wes Ball is in charge of directing.
The film will receive $17 million AUD ($10 million) in government money as part of the production arrangement, in addition to funds from Screen NSW’s ‘Made In NSW’ initiative. More than 400 jobs will be created in Australia because of the film, and the industry is forecast to bring in $128 million AUD ($80 million).
“It will be filmed here, and that says a fantastic thing about jobs and creativity in Australia,” Australian arts minister Tony Burke said at a press conference to promote the production.
More than $1.7 billion at the international box office makes Planet of the Apes one of 20th Century Studios’ most successful and long-running series. The first film in the series, adapted from a novel by Pierre Boulle and released by the then-20th Century Fox in 1968, was a smashing success.
There were a total of four film sequels and two television series after its first success. After Tim Burton’s 2001 adaptation of Planet of the Apes and the 2011 reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, two sequels, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), have been produced.
Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping serve as executive producers, and Joe Hartwick Jr., Jaffa, Silver, and Jason Reed serve as producers on the new project.
Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios, released the following comment on the filming location: “We’re excited to be in Sydney filming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes at the world-class Disney Studios Australia. The Planet of the Apes film series is an indelible part of our studio’s history and canon and is widely regarded as one of the most famous and enduring all science fiction films.
The outstanding Wes Ball at the helm and the rest of the actors and crew are keeping up the high quality of this series’ innovative and cerebral filmmaking. In 2024, we will be able to finally introduce this exciting new era to the world.