Planet of the Apes Movies Watch Order

The best Planet of the Apes watch order depends on which iteration of the franchise you’re looking at. Aside from the original film series, there have been two film reboots, a TV series, and a cartoon. So, if you’re looking to view Planet of the Apes for the first time, you’ll likely want to know which movies belong to which universe.

Original Planet of the Apes Watch Order

The original Planet of the Apes was released in 1968 to great acclaim. Fox was quick to exploit the hype, and five sequels were released within the next five years.

Since the classic series is essentially a time loop, you can just watch the movies in release order:

1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
2. Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
3. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
4. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
5. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Planet of the Apes TV series watch order

After the release of Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Fox was eager to keep the money train rolling. In 1974, CBS ordered a 14-episode first season from 20th Century Fox based largely on how successful its showings of the Planet of the Apes movies on TV had been.

The TV series reboots the story and follows its own continuity. The best way to watch these are in release order:

1. Escape from Tomorrow
2. The Gladiators
3. The Trap
4. The Good Seeds
5. The Legacy
6. Tomorrow’s Tide
7. The Surgeon
8. The Deception
9. The Horse Race
10. The Interrogation
11. The Tyrant
12. The Cure
13. The Liberator
14. Up Above the World So High

The series was canceled due to poor ratings, and some sources say the 14th episode was never aired during its original run.

Return to the Planet of the Apes animated TV series watch order

After the live-action Planet of the Apes series failed, NBC and 20th Century Fox collaborated on an animated series to be shown in the Saturday morning cartoon block. The cartoon reboots the franchise once again and takes place in a more advanced future than seen in the previous series.

Return to the Planet of the Apes ran for 13 episodes before being canceled. Again, these are best viewed in release order:

1. Flames of Doom
2. Escape from Ape City
3. The Unearthly Prophecy
4. Tunnel of Fear
5. Lagoon of Peril
6. Terror on Ice Mountain
7. River of Flames
8. Screaming Wings
9. Trail to the Unknown
10. Mission of Mercy
11. Invasion of the Underdwellers
12. Battle of the Titans

Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes

Fox planned to relaunch Planet of the Apes throughout the 1980s, but it never got off the ground. Several attempts collapsed, including a couple with Arnold Schwarzenegger committed to star, but they all fell through.

In 2001, a reboot finally came together with Tim Burton directing and Mark Wahlberg starring as astronaut Leo Davidson. The production was reportedly arduous because Fox kept the film on a tight schedule, leaving Burton unwilling to helm a sequel. So, despite being a box office success, the series  again went dormant despite Fox’s interest in a sequel.

Planet of the Apes Reboot watch order

The Planet of the Apes franchise saw yet another reboot with the release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011. Three direct sequels have been released, all of which follow the same continuity.

These are best watched in release order:

1. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
3. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
4. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)