CAMERAS ROLL ON KINGDOM OF THE PLANETS OF THE APES AT DISNEY STUDIOS AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY – 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, starring Owen Teague,, Freya Allan, Peter Macon and Kevin Durand, has begun production in Sydney at the newly-renamed Disney Studios Australia. The previously-monikered Fox Studios Australia fell under the large restructuring of Fox assets now under The Walt Disney Company’s Australian footprint, resulting in the name change.

Under the direction of The Maze Runner helmer Wes Ball, the new film starts an all-new chapter in the Planet of the Apes saga, picking up many years after the conclusion of 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes. The screenplay is by Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), and Patrick Aison (Prey). Joe Hartwick Jr., Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver and Jason Reed are the film’s producers; Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping are the executive producers.

Steve Asbell, President of 20th Century Studios, said: “We’re thrilled to be in Sydney filming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes at the world-class Disney Studios Australia. ‘Planet of the Apes’ is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history and an indelible part of our studios’ legacy. The extraordinary director Wes Ball and cast and crew are continuing the series’ tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema. We can’t wait to share this new chapter with audiences in 2024.”

The production will receive some A$17 million in funding support through Screen NSW’s Made In NSW fund and broader tax breaks from the federal gov ernment. Estimates suggest that the production will provide more than 400 local jobs and inject more than A$128 million into the local economy. No announcement has been made regarding whether or not post-production will also be undertaken on the expansive studio lot. 

Planet of the Apes is one of 20th Century Studios’ most popular and enduring franchises, amassing more than $1.7 billion worldwide. Based on a novel by Pierre Boulle, the first film in the series was released by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1968 and went on to become one of the year’s biggest hits, winning a special Academy Award® and followed by four theatrical sequels and two television series.  A remake was directed by Tim Burton in 2001, then a 2011 reboot, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was followed by two sequels, 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes.