A new “Planet of the Apes” movie is currently in development at 20th Century Studios, with Matt Shackman set to direct the next chapter in the long-running sci-fi series. Shakman, who directed The Fantastic Four: First Steps for Disney and Marvel, will work with screenwriter Josh Friedman on the new film.
Details of the story have not yet been revealed, but the project will return to the world of intelligent apes and the conflict between humans and apes.
Matt Shakman will direct the new “Planet of the Apes” movie
Deadline first announced news of the new “Planet of the Apes” movie. Shakman will also produce the film with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. Scott Aversano is overseeing the 20th Century Studios project. Friedman wrote the screenplay for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the latest film in the series.
He also worked with Shakman on The Fantastic Four: First Steps. His other credits at 20th Century Studios include “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes grossed approximately US$400 million worldwide on a budget of US$160 million. The modern “Planet of the Apes” franchise has spawned four films over 15 years and has surpassed US$2 billion at the global box office.Shakman’s recent work includes several major titles in film and television.
He directed Marvel’s WandaVision, the studio’s first major live-action series. His credits also include pilots for films such as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, The Consultant, Welcome to Chippendales and The Great starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.
‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise continues after ‘Kingdom’
The new film follows the success of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which expanded the modern series after previous films centered around the rise of Caesar and the growing power of the apes. Shakman has also directed episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Succession, and Game of Thrones. He directed the pilot and final episode of the upcoming “Wild Things” series for Siegfried and Roy, starring Jude Law and Andrew Garfield.The studio has not announced the cast, release date or story details for the new “Planet of the Apes” movie.
