Planet of the Apes Movies: Classic Era
The original Planet of the Apes quintet represents classic science fiction cinema at its most ambitious and socially conscious. These five films, produced between 1968 and 1973, feature bold allegorical storytelling that tackles themes of war, prejudice, and humanity's relationship with nature.
This watch order focuses exclusively on the original timeline, allowing viewers to experience the complete arc of the classic series without the tonal shifts of later entries. The films build upon each other narratively, creating a cohesive saga that defined science fiction filmmaking for a generation.
There are 3 other watch orders available – see the links up above.
Planet of the Apes
An astronaut crash-lands on a mysterious planet where intelligent apes rule over primitive humans, forcing him to fight for survival in this twisted civilization.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
The sole survivor of an interplanetary rescue mission lands on the planet of the apes and discovers a disturbing civilization hiding beneath the surface.
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Three intelligent chimpanzees arrive on Earth in a spacecraft, stunning the world with their ability to speak. As humans become fascinated by their intelligence and use them for research, the apes plot their escape from captivity.
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
In a dystopian future where apes are enslaved by humans, Caesar, a highly intelligent chimpanzee who has been in hiding, emerges to lead a revolutionary uprising against his oppressors.
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
In this fifth and final Planet of the Apes film, Caesar leads a peaceful community of intelligent apes and humans after civilization's collapse. However, both internal ape conflicts and external threats from underground human mutants threaten to destroy their fragile harmony.
Other Film Series
Avatar
James Cameron's groundbreaking science fiction saga following Jake Sully's journey on the alien world of Pandora across multiple decades.
G.I. Joe
A live-action franchise based on the toy line, featuring military action films with continuity complications between the main series and later reboot attempts.
Mad Max
A post-apocalyptic action franchise following the lone warrior Max Rockatansky as he navigates a dangerous wasteland filled with marauders and survivors.
Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
An interconnected superhero film franchise that began with Iron Man in 2008 and spans multiple phases building toward epic crossover events.
Pacific Rim
A sci-fi action series about humanity's war against giant interdimensional monsters using massive humanoid mechs called Jaegers.
Skyline
A sci-fi trilogy following humanity's battle against alien invaders, with each film building directly on the previous story.