Matt Shakman to Direct New "Planet of the Apes" Film for 20th Century Studios
The new film will be written by franchise veteran Josh Friedman.
Matt Shakman, director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and WandaVision, has been tapped to direct the next Planet of the Apes film from 20th Century Studios.
What's Happening:
- Deadline reports that director Matt Shakman and writer Josh Friedman (Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: Fire and Ash) are taking on another high-profile IP, having been tapped to direct a new Planet of the Apes movie.
- Shakman will also produce the film along with longtime Apes producers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.
- Plot details are currently scarce, although we do know that the film will make a return to the planet where Apes are the superior species ruling all.
- Deadline's sources say that this will not be a continuation of the most recent film, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, but rather a new original story that Shakman and Friedman are developing. Friedman also penned that script along with Silver and Jaffa.
- The Planet of the Apes franchise is one of 20th Century Studios’ most popular and enduring franchises, having grossed more than $1.7 billion in worldwide box office.
- Following on from the original film in 1968, there have been four theatrical sequels, a remake by Tim Burton, a reboot in 2011 followed by two sequels. And all of that is before 2024's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was directed by Wes Ball and was well received by critics and audiences alike with the film bringing in $397 million at the global box-office.
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