Director Wes Ball: "Another 'Planet of the Apes' film! That's exactly what I thought at first"
7/5/2024
Translation: machine translated
It was no easy task for director Wes Ball to continue the successful reboot of the "Planet of the Apes" franchise. In this exclusive interview, he tells me why he did it anyway and how he overcame the major challenges.
The interview was recorded on 26 April. You can find it in the video above. Alternatively, you can also read the interview here in written form and in German.
Monkeys. Together. Strong. Since "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" from 2011, the reinterpretation of the franchise that started in 1968, the genetically modified chimpanzee Caesar (Andy Serkis) has led his clan according to this credo. Because when a man-made virus began to increase the intelligence of the apes, the same virus had the exact opposite effect on humans - if they survived at all.
In the new film "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes", three films and hundreds of generations later, Caesar has long been considered a myth, but the apes have nevertheless risen to become the dominant species on the planet. This time, the film was directed by Wes Ball. The 43-year-old American became famous for the "Maze Runner" trilogy. In an interview with me, he talks about the sense and nonsense of another "Planet of the Apes" sequel, the legacy of the old films and the difficulty of making such a big blockbuster.
Wes, after the great conclusion to Caesar's journey in "War of the Planet of the Apes", did you ever doubt whether the franchise even needed another sequel?
Wes Ball: (laughs) That's exactly what I thought at first. Why another film? But you know, ten Planet of the Apes films have been made in the last 55 years. The franchise has exuded an irresistible appeal for generations. So the question wasn't whether we should make another film, but whether it should be another reboot or a sequel. We then decided in favour of the following: Our story takes place in the same "universe" as the reboot, but hundreds of years after Caesar's last appearance. He himself is still there - but only as a legend. As a myth.
A clever move. Although "Kingdom" is a kind of sequel, it is not a comic appendage to a story that has already been told to its conclusion.
Exactly! Who would want to see something like that? That would have been totally unnecessary.
You've also tweaked the tone. The previous three instalments were dystopian and dark. "Kingdom", on the other hand, feels a bit more optimistic. More adventurous. We get to discover a whole new world again, which has grown tendril-like over the memories of an old, long-gone world.
Almost spooky, isn't it? I really wanted to create these beautiful images, but at the same time they seem oppressive. A constant melancholy reminder of how many lives and what tremendous knowledge has been lost over time.
Source: 20th Century Studios
Now that I think about it, you are best known for the film adaptation of the "Maze Runner" novels. Also a dystopian world ...
That's right! Somehow I find myself in these broken landscapes all the time (laughs). But that's all right.
Was it more liberating to come up with a completely new story in a completely new setting? Or is it more intimidating not to have a guideline like a book template to draw on?
Well, in a way, we do have a guide for "Kingdom". Not in the form of books. But since the first "Planet of the Apes" film in 1968, there have been nine other films. So we definitely had a framework and rules of the game - but also plenty of inspiration to draw on.
For example, that the apes can really talk now because they have evolved ...
Exactly. Or that there must be wild humans whose intelligence has declined massively. And yet: the old films are set almost 2000 years in the future. The reboot in our present. We, on the other hand, start our film about 200 to 300 years after Caesar's story. This in turn gave us a lot of creative freedom, despite certain rules. It was a great process.
A direct sequel to 'War of the Planet of the Apes'? Who would want to see that? That would have been totally unnecessary.
You had the help of Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, who co-wrote the previous three instalments,
so you could do that. Oh, their help was crucial! Rick and Amanda were the first two people I approached about the sequel. I don't want to speak for them, but I think they were sceptical too. Along the lines of: "Really? Another film?" Then we had lunch together and I just presented them with all these crazy ideas that were buzzing around in my head.
A real pitch meeting. After that, they were on board, I guess?
In fact, they were so excited that we brought Josh Friedman on board. He helped Rick and Amanda with the writing of "Avatar: The Way of Water". Together, they then took all my ideas and spun them into a storyline that lived up to the legacy of the previous three films.
I think 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' will make people think even after they leave the cinema
This legacy, especially in the form of Caesar's myth, really echoes throughout the film. I was very moved by that.
It really is a fascinating myth that is sometimes more, sometimes less hidden throughout the film. I think "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" will make people think even after they leave the cinema.
Luckily, you also have a great lead actor in Owen Teague, who carries the film on his shoulders. How scary was it to have to find someone to fill the big shoes of Andy Serkis?
Can you imagine that? I had huge jitters about it! Then Owen Teague's casting tape turned up. I think it was only the second tape I'd ever seen. And I knew straight away: that's him. That's our leading man. We already have him. A miracle! A great feeling. And later I learnt that Owen only became an actor because he had seen Andy Serkis in Peter Jackson's "King Kong".
Not serious!
Incredible how this came full circle. But all the other actors and actresses also deserve great recognition. For most of them, it was their first major cinema film. And then there was the challenging employees with the motion-capture suits ...
But man, it was really difficult. I found a whole new respect for Matt Reeves, who has already made two 'Planet of the Apes' films.
Apropos: It was also your first big film with motion capturing, right?
Oh, it was wild! My three "Maze Runner" films together didn't cost as much as "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes". Fortunately, I already had some experience with motion capturing with "Mouse Guard" - even though the film was scrapped when it was made when 20th Century Fox was bought by Disney. I've always seen myself as an artist who likes to work with visual effects anyway.
Then you must have particularly enjoyed working with Wētā FX, the visual effects studio.
And how! The power of these computer-generated images is simply breathtaking. Erik Winquist thankfully returned as visual effects supervisor after "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes". His experience cannot be equalled in gold. Add to that all the other artists at Wētā FX who have worked on three Planet of the Apes films ... They are simply the best people in the business.
What about a second "Planet of the Apes" film? Do you still have any ideas?
Of course I do. But man, it was really difficult. I've found a whole new respect for Matt Reeves, who has already made two "Planet of the Apes" films (laughs). I still hope I'll get another opportunity to continue the story if the audience wants more of it.
I hope so too. And I'd love to ask you more questions all day, but I think my time is up.
Next time again, Luca. Thank you, I really appreciated your questions.
In "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes", we accompany the young chimpanzee Noa (Owen Teague) on his journey across a mystical world that is completely unknown to him. As a member of a peaceful tribe of apes, he thinks of nothing else but the upcoming maturity exam, the passing of which would make him an adult of the tribe. But then a strange, warlike tribe attacks in search of something - someone - and kidnaps his loved ones. Now Noa must set off and leave his home for the first time to save his tribe.
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" opens in cinemas on 8 May and is rated 12 and over.
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.»
