Is Caesar In ‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’?

Almost a decade after War For the Planet of the Apes premiered, and fans are gearing up for its sequel. Entitled, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the film takes ape supremacy even further.

As humans feared, apes are now the dominant species on the planet. The virus that made them smarter has effectively wiped humans off the map, with only a few struggling to survive. For fans of the franchise, this was the natural course of events and three films in the making. But as viewers head into theaters to see a new era unfold, one question is undoubtedly on everyone’s mind.

Will Caesar be represented in this new hierarchy? It is hard to imagine an Apes movie without this formidable force. In the previous three films, motion cap icon Andy Serkis portrayed the head of the ape resistance with remarkable gravitas and vulnerability. But he’s become so synonymous with the franchise that going on without him almost seems like sacrilege.

How does Caesar appear in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?

Fans with even a cursory knowledge of War For the Planet of the Apes, know that the outlook is not great for Caesar. After defeating the mad Colonel (Woody Harrelson) and rescuing his family from work camps, Caesar takes a fatal wound. The final shot is the ape leader dying in a new paradise he has found for his family. 

There is another factor that puts a kink in the plan of Caesar’s return. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is not set directly in the aftermath of the ape leader’s death. Actually, it takes place a good three centuries after the fact. Unless Caesar is returning like some Force ghost, it’s safe to say he will physically not be there. But that doesn’t mean his presence will be absent in the film. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes makes sure to acknowledge him as a figure, notably by the name of the leader of this new world order. Kevin Durand plays leader, Proximus Caesar, and told Empire Magazine how his predecessor appears in the film. 

“Caesar is almost a religious figure, and Proximus has taken on the name Caesar because it was the highest position held in ape society. It was a self-proclamation that was achieved by any means necessary, to ensure that apes continue to evolve. So you’re seeing the influence and the evolution of what Caesar left. And, like in every morsel of human history, there’s always some type of tyrant who comes along and scares everyone into believing them.”

Proximus Caesar’s only interest is in power, which is antithetical to what Prime Caesar would have wanted. He uses the knowledge of Caesar as a method of control, as any dictator does. But that doesn’t mean that Caesar will be totally forgotten. Our hero, Noa (Owen Teague), may not know who Caesar was, but the trajectory of the film is about him finding what his legacy means. Caesar will live on in this franchise, even if fans sadly do not get to see the acting prowess of Serkis. Viewers can catch Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in theaters starting May 8.