The following contains spoilers for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, now playing in theaters
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the latest entry to the overarching Planet of the Apes franchise and features several nods to previous films. Taking place centuries after the death of Caesar and the events of the trilogy that revealed how apes became the dominant species on Earth, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ characters explore the ramifications of heroes like Caesar shifting into the capacity of legend. This becomes an underlying theme of the film, especially as Noa discovers Proximus and his corrupted version of Caesar’s teachings.
However, this isn’t the only call-back to the history of the franchise. There are several minor beats and small visual cues in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes that reference other Planet of the Apes movies, like the prequel trilogy and the original movie. These references could be the key to making Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes the bridge between the prequels to the eventual events of the original movies. Here are all the best references to previous Planet of the Apes movies hidden throughout Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes features several easter eggs and references to previous entries in the franchise, including several to the very first Planet of the Apes. One of the most obvious is the discovery of a baby doll in the ruins of a human settlement. In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the doll is found by Noa, Soona, and Anaya while they investigate the decrypt bunker alongside Mae. It’s one of the clearest proofs that the bunker once contained generations of humans before they seemingly died out.
The Baby Doll is a direct reference to Planet of the Apes, where a very similar looking doll is discovered in the archaeological digs in the Forbidden Zone. Charlton Heston’s Taylor holds the doll up as proof that humans used to be a more dominant species in the world, hinting at the eventual reveal that the world is actually the ruins of Earth. The doll functions similarly in both movies, showing the apes proof that the species that came before them was capable of genuine artistry and creation.
As Noa and Mae makes their way into the territories that are under the control of Proximus, he discovers a series of foreboding-looking scarecrows. Built up and resembling large X’s, the scarecrows are a reference to one of the earliest sequences in the original Planet of the Apes. In that film, the scarecrows were used to signify the borders of the Forbidden Zone, and were an early discovery of Taylor and his fellow astronauts.
The fearsome appearance of the scarecrows is a good indicator that the characters are stepping into a fearsome situation. The tone of the moment is recreated in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, where the fearsome-looking scarecrows are a hint towards the more fearsome vibes of Proximus’ kingdom. It’s a sly callback to the original, utilizing similar imagery to create a sense of tension in both the original and the new film.
Seen repeatedly throughout Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Caesar’s symbol has survived for generations after his death. In the trilogy of films focused on Caesar and his rise, the symbol initially referenced the window a young Caesar would frequently peer through in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. As he grew into a leader for his people, the symbol became synonymous with Caesar’s tribe as a whole and stood for hope.
By the time of Noa’s journey, Caesar has entered the realm of legend, with the symbol now seen as a representation of his teachings and intentions. While Proximus perverts Caesar’s ideology in a bid for power, Raka holds true to the teachings and holds onto the symbol as a reminder of Caesar’s true legacy. It’s one of the more visually compelling reminders of Caesar and his people within the new Planet of the Apes film.
In both the original Planet of the Apes and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, there is a section of land that is said to be off-limits by the ape community. In the new film, this is the Forbidden Valley. The stretch of untamed land counts the Echoes — the animalistic descendants of humanity who’ve been rendered mute by the Simian Flu — among their wildlife. Noa’s mission to save his tribe from Proximus takes him through the Forbidden Valley, where he discovers several ruins of former human society.
The Forbidden Valley is very similar to the Forbidden Zones of the original Planet of the Apes. Radioactive areas that were once the domains of humanity, the Forbidden Zones are treated as an archeological marvel by characters like Doctor Zaius. Both areas are clear reminders of the lost world of humans, and are crucial to the journey of their respective lead characters.
The ending of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes reveals that some pockets of humanity have survived the overall collapse of the species. Mae’s mission is to help reestablish a means of for these communities to communicate. One of the other confirmed human settlements is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is able to directly speak with Mae’s colony.
Fort Wayne surviving into the future is actually a sly reference to George Taylor, who was the protagonist of the original film. In that film, it was confirmed that Taylor was actually from the same town in Indiana. The reference is even more clear thanks to the revelation that Fort Wayne is one of the communities connected through space-based satellites. The town’s connection to outer space in the franchise remains an aspect of the world, even outside of Taylor himself.
Noa and Caesar are the lead characters of their respective stories, but have little direct connection to one another. In fact, Noa is entirely unaware of the history of Caesar until the second act of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Instead, Noa has spent his whole life following the teachings of his tribal elders. However, the pair end up sharing a distinct element of their look.
While Ceasar had a distinct-looking mark on his chest, Noa ended up getting something similar after his fight with Proximus’ forces in his burning village. This gives the two heroes a distinct visual connection that underscores their role as the hero fo their respective stories. This also works on a thematic level, underscoring how Noa, who grew up in relative safety and security within his village, has to take on the kind of responsibilities that Caesar contented with in his life.
One of the underlying themes of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes focuses on the ways Proximus has been able to corrupt the messages and teachings of Caesar into something far more self-serving. One of the most tragic representations of this is in the use of Caesar’s distinct hand symbol. In the prior trilogy, raising two hands up together became a symbol of ape unity. This is reinforced in the opening moments of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which sees all the apes at Caesar’s funeral make the gesture in honor of him.
By the time of Proximus though, this ideology has been tainted and transformed into a sign of his power. His followers also make the symbol, but it now speaks to the strength they give to Proximus, signifying his rule through their collective strength. It’s a clever call-back that highlights the ambitious and selfish intent behind the film’s antagonist.
After convincing Noa to accept Mae as a traveling partner, Raka declares that they should name the human “Nova.” He then notes that that’s the name apes in Caesar’s era gave human women they encountered, seemingly unaware of the full story behind the original Nova. This is a reference to the young girl taken in by the apes during War of the Planet of the Apes, who was dubbed Nova and became the first human to be raised by the apes as one of their own.
It’s also a clear reference to Linda Harrison’s character in the original Planet of the Apes. In that film, her character was also named Nova. Raka’s casual acknowledgment that he doesn’t understand the full meaning of the reference but continues to carry it on regardless could be seen as a sly comment on the new films and their habit of utilizing elements from the original in fresh ways.
A clear call-back to the original Planet of the Apes in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes occurs while Noa, Mae, and Taka are making their way through the Forbidden Valley. After encountering some Echoes by a river bed, a raiding party of apes on horseback rush in to capture them. This is very similar to the original Planet of the Apes, specifically the scene where a similar hunting party captures several humans including Taylor.