The Planet of the Apes franchise isn’t slowing down anytime soon. In fact, it’s gearing up for another big-screen chapter, and it just tapped a director who’s been making serious moves in both TV and blockbuster territory.
Matt Shakman is officially stepping into the world of intelligent apes and fractured humanity, bringing his experience from Marvel and beyond to one of sci-fi’s most enduring series.
Shakman, who recently directed The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is shifting gears from superheroes to simians as he takes on a brand-new installment in the Apes saga for 20th Century Studios.
While plot details are still locked up tight, the studio clearly has confidence in the direction this is heading, especially with Shakman also producing the film alongside longtime franchise creatives Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.
Teaming up with him again is screenwriter Josh Friedman, who worked on both First Steps and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the most recent entry in the franchise.
Over the past 15 years, the modern Apes films have built a massive global presence, collectively earning more than $2 billion at the box office. That’s no small feat, and it explains why the studio is eager to keep the momentum going with fresh creative energy.
Shakman’s résumé goes way beyond Marvel. He was a key force behind WandaVision, which helped redefine what a Marvel series could look like on streaming. His TV work is stacked with impressive credits, including pilots for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, The Consultant, and Welcome to Chippendales.
He also directed the first episode of The Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, and has worked on fan-favorite series like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Succession, and Game of Thrones.
On top of that, Shakman handled both the pilot and final episode of the upcoming Wild Things series centered on Siegfried & Roy, featuring Jude Law and Andrew Garfield. So yeah, the guy knows how to launch a story and bring it home.
With his track record and Friedman’s familiarity with the franchise, this new Planet of the Apes movie has a solid creative foundation. Now it’s just a matter of seeing where they take the story next. Whether it continues threads from Kingdom or charts an entirely new direction, there’s plenty of room to explore in this universe.
