Summary
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesglossed over a major storyline in thePlanet of the Apesuniverse, leaving the series with a story still to tell. Following up the beloved filmWar for the Planet of the Apes,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesdecided to jump centuries into the future, after all the characters in the previous films have passed on. WhileCaesar died inWar for the Planet of the Apes, other characters like Maurice and Caesar’s son Cornelius lived on but nonetheless are ignored in the main storyline ofKingdom.
This time jump does not by any means indicate thatKingdom of the Planet of the Apes' storyhas forgotten about the previous three films. Rather, the story actively references past actions — specifically those of former protagonist Caesar — as drivers for the current state of affairs. Theprimate villain is now Proximus Caesar, who distorts Caesar’s legacy into a fury much more dominating and imperialistic as he attempts to maintain control over the land. Though Caesar’s memory connectsKingdom of the Planet of the Apesto the rest of thePlanet of the Apesfranchise, the film still neglects one key character arc.
Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Ending Risks Undoing The Franchise’s Great Villain Change
The future teased by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ ending risks undoing great villain changes from earlier entries in the franchise.
Why Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Skipped Over Cornelius' Story
Wes Ball Wanted to Set Kingdom Apart
Having already passed, Cornelius,Caesar’s son, is not part ofKingdom of the Planet of the Apes' cast,but neither doesKingdom of the Planet of the Apesmentions anything about his life and legacy.Cornelius is born inDawn of the Planet of the Apes, and is seen again inWar for the Planet of the Apes. Originally, it was speculated thatKingdom of the Planet of the Apeswould trace Caesar’s legacy through the story of Cornelius, showing his life after his father’s death. Instead,theApessequel chose to focus on a new protagonist, Noa, and tell a new story.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesdid not do this thoughtlessly. Director Wes Ball had a cogent reason for this story decision, saying in an interview withGamesradarthat he and his teamfelt it right to “start fresh with what was very strong roots,”and get some temporal space fromRise,Dawn, andWar. That said, Ball is not completely close-minded to exploring the story of Cornelius, saying that “there’s certainly room for someone somewhere to do some of that story,” suggesting that Cornelius’ story is viable for exploration.
Cornelius' Life After Caesar’s Death Is Still Worth Telling After Kingdom
Cornelius' Story Could Factor Into Existing Kingdom Themes
Whether Ball himself wants to incorporate Cornelius remains unclear, but thePlanet of the Apesfranchiseshould still find a way to include Cornelius regardless of whether that comes via Ball or not. The young ape is just getting his life started inWar for the Planet of the Apes, and he is the last surviving heir of Caesar after the death of his older brother Blue Eyes. As a result,how Cornelius experiences his life after his father’s death, surrounded by so many that love him, would be a great story to explore.
The way thatKingdom of the Planet of the Apesplays out further highlights why Cornelius should be included. Even generations and generations post-mortem, Caesar is hailed as a venerable sage. One can only imaginehow much of a martyr Caesar became in the immediate wake of his passing. Cornelius must have faced a great deal of pressure in trying to follow in his father’s footsteps, which creates a potentially fascinating driver for a great character arc.
Another element ofKingdomthat would justify including Cornelius’ narrative is the manner in which Caesar’s legacy is twisted in Ball’s film. While Proximus Caesar claims to worship the fallenWarprotagonist, characters like Raka, and later Noa, recognize how Proximus has altered the ape’s messaging. Though Caesar’s true motivations could have been lost in translation over the decades and then centuries betweenWar for the Planet of the ApesandKingdom of the Planet of the Apes,it would be interesting to see if this legacy misinterpretation originated in the Cornelius era.
How Planet Of The Apes Can Still Use Cornelius After Kingdom’s Time Jump
Cornelius Could Be Incorporated In Several Ways
Even though the newPlanet of the Apesmoviesare set years in the future, it is not too late to bring Cornelius back to the franchise. An easy way to accomplish this inclusion would be to include a prologue in the next film that features his story. This prologuecould take the form of a narrated Cornelius montageor a more extended scene with Caesar’s son, showing the character in action in the aftermath of his father’s death. A film decision like this would serve to help the nextApesfilm connect to the rest of the franchise.
There are also ways that thePlanet of the Apesfranchise could incorporate Cornelius into the lore within the universe. For example, it is known that Raka belonged to a group called the Order of Caesar.Cornelius could be a founding member of this Order, or have influenced its founding in some way. This could bring Cornelius back off-screen by way of mention, or launch the film into a flashback. Whatever way a post-Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesfranchise film does it, bringing Cornelius back should be a story priority.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Cast
Set several years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the next installment in the Apes saga. Ape clans have taken up residence in the oasis that Caesar sought to colonize, but humans have reverted to their animalistic nature in their absence. Now battling between enslavement and freedom, outliers in the Ape clans will take sides in a newly burgeoning society.
