Planet of the Apes Movies: Story Timeline
This chronological watch order follows the franchise's internal timeline, beginning with the modern films that show the origins of intelligent ape society, then jumping forward to the classic era's distant future setting. While this creates narrative continuity, it involves a significant tonal and stylistic shift between the two eras of filmmaking.
This order is recommended only for viewers already familiar with the franchise, as watching the modern films first may diminish the impact of major reveals in the classic series.
There are 3 other watch orders available – see the links up above.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
A highly intelligent chimpanzee named Caesar leads a revolt against humans after being mistreated at a primate facility, sparking the beginning of simian dominance.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
In post-apocalyptic San Francisco, Caesar leads a community of intelligent apes while struggling to maintain peace with the surviving human population in the aftermath of a devastating plague.
War for the Planet of the Apes
Caesar and his apes face a deadly conflict with a ruthless human Colonel, leading to an epic battle that will determine the fate of both species and the future of the planet.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Set generations after Caesar's era, apes have become the dominant species while humans live in hiding. When a tyrannical ape leader rises to power, a young ape embarks on a journey that forces him to question everything and make choices that will shape the future of both species.
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.