Embedded with fierce action and intense emotion, this fantasy thriller is set in the year 2029, when astronaut Leo Davidson boards a pod cruiser on a Space Station for what begins as a routine reconnaissance mission.
However, an abrupt detour through a space time wormhole lands him on a strange planet where talking apes rule over the human race. With the help of a sympathetic chimpanzee activist named Ari and a small band of human rebels, Leo leads the effort to evade the advancing Gorilla Army led by General Thade and his most trusted warrior Attar. Now the race is on to reach a sacred temple within the planet's Forbidden Zone to discover the shocking secrets of mankind's past - and the key to its future.
Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth
Crew: Tim Burton (Director), Philippe Rousselot (Director of Photography), Danny Elfman (Music Director)
Rating: PG (Singapore), M (Australia), 12 (South Korea)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Release Dates: 27 Jul 2001 (India)
Tagline: The battle begins November 20th
Did you know? Gary Oldman was considered for the role of General Thade, which went to his Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) costar Tim Roth. He would later play Dreyfus in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Read More
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as Ari
as Captain Leo Davidson
as Thade
Supporting Actress
Supporting Actress
Supporting Actress
as Krull
as Sandar
Supporting Actor
as Daena
Supporting Actor
Supporting Actress
as Attar
Supporting Actor
Supporting Actor
as Limbo
Supporting Actor
Direction
Director
Second Unit Director
First Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Production
Producer
Production Company
Executive Producer
Line Producer
Associate Producer
Distribution
Distributor
Camera and Electrical
Director of Photography
Steadicam Operator
Still Photographer
Key Grip
Gaffer
Grip
Sound
Sound Re-recording Mixer
Foley Artist
Sound Effects Editor
Foley Editor
Boom Operator
Art
Art Director
Production Designer
Set Designer
Prop Master
Set Decorator
Set Dresser
Casting
Casting Director
Casting Associate
Casting Assistant
Extras Casting
Special Effects
Special Effects Coordinator
Special Effects Technician
Stunts
Stunt Director
Stunt Coordinator
Stunt Double
Stunt Performer
Film Type:
Feature
Language:
English
Colour Info:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital, DTS, Sony Dynamic Digital Sound
Camera:
Panaflex Platinum, Panavision Panaflex
Frame Rate:
24 fps
Aspect Ratio:
2.39:1 (Scope)
Stereoscopy:
No
Taglines:
The battle begins November 20th
Rule the planet.
On July 27th, take back the planet.
You'll be sorry you were ever born human
Rule the planet.
On July 27th, take back the planet.
You'll be sorry you were ever born human
Movie Connection(s):
Filming Locations:
Santa Clarita, California
Los Angeles, California
Washington, District of Columbia
Hawaii
Lake Powell, Utah
Page, Arizona
Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California
Ridgecrest, California
Sydney, New South Wales
Trona Pinnacles - 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, California
Los Angeles, California
Washington, District of Columbia
Hawaii
Lake Powell, Utah
Page, Arizona
Los Angeles Center Studios - 450 S. Bixel Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California
Ridgecrest, California
Sydney, New South Wales
Trona Pinnacles - 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, California
Goofs:
Continuity
At the end of the movie, the dome on the door to the space pod is facing upwards, but in another shot, it is flipped the other way.
Continuity
When General Thade is trying to shoot at Leo and others with Leo's gun, the gun changes from a futuristic "laser gun" to what appears to be a plain old Beretta 92/96.
Continuity
(at around 1h 40 mins) When Leo is about to trap Thade inside the wreck of the Oberon, the touch screen that activates the shield is shown twice. It is clearly encrusted with a thousand years of dust. But as Leo actually puts his hand over the screen it is suddenly as clean as the day it was made.
Miscellaneous
Many people believe that, when the group goes to the crashed spacecraft, there are rock formations in the aircraft. This would not be possible, since it takes millions of years and a lot of pressure to form rocks. The spacecraft, however could have landed on rocks that were there before the spacecraft crashed.
Miscellaneous
(at around 45 mins) When Leo and co. come out of the lost city there's a shot from some distance, back at the ship. Look to the far right and you will see a road with clear tire tracks on it.
Character Error
We first see Captain Leo Davidson training a chimpanzee in astronautics. Its inconceivable that an officer with such responsibility would be unaware of the taxonomic and cladistic difference between apes (including chimpanzees and humans) and monkeys (the New World and Old World monkeys). Yet he twice refers to his student as a "monkey".
Character Error
The monkey in the pod that is launched at the beginning is shown in a full spacesuit except he is not wearing any gloves.
Continuity
The scratch on Leo's neck swaps sides and disappears randomly.
Continuity
(at around 8 mins) When the chimp is taking off from the ship you see Leo with his hands behind his back. In the next shot you see them at his side.
Continuity
(at around 24 mins) When Thade's niece buys their human pet, the bolt on the cage is left out. In the next shot, it's bolted shut again.
Continuity
(at around 10 mins) When Leo enters the delta pod he puts on his helmet and it loosely touches the collar of his spacesuit. In the next shots it fits perfectly in the collar.
Continuity
(at around 1h 6 mins) As Leo begins to enter the water with Ari on his back, she puts her hands over his face. In the next shot from further across the water, they are by his side. The hands return over his face once they are in the water.
Crew/Equipment Visible
(at around 1h 35 mins) During the final battle, studio lights are reflected on Thade's helmet.
Miscellaneous
There are numerous apparent plot holes in the story which are explained away in supplementary material (DVD booklet, novelization, etc). This includes the frequently asked question regarding the presence of horses. These remain goofs as far as the casual viewer is concerned, but they are the subject of much heated debate and are not now included in this list.
Miscellaneous
How did humans from far and wide hear about "this human who defies the apes"? Leo was hardly noticed by anyone but the group he was with, and a few apes. The apes wouldn't publicize that a human was making fools of them, so how did word of his presence spread??
Miscellaneous
After the refugees cross the river, they set up camp and make fires. They are in the middle of the desert and there are no trees as far as the horizon. Where did they get the firewood?
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 26 mins) When Leo is holding the branding iron close to Ari's face, the hot part of the iron is obviously painted orange to appear hot, and stays that color way too long.
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 1h 40 mins) After the chimp gets into his cage, we see an ape with his makeup incomplete.
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 45 mins) As Leo and co. escape the city through the tunnels, they break through some boards covering the tunnel exit. One of the boards has been clearly sawn through and is broken at that point.
Continuity
(at around 1h 45 mins) When Leo and Daena kiss at the end, Daena then runs off. But as Leo then gets into his pod, Daena is visible in the crowds again.
At the end of the movie, the dome on the door to the space pod is facing upwards, but in another shot, it is flipped the other way.
Continuity
When General Thade is trying to shoot at Leo and others with Leo's gun, the gun changes from a futuristic "laser gun" to what appears to be a plain old Beretta 92/96.
Continuity
(at around 1h 40 mins) When Leo is about to trap Thade inside the wreck of the Oberon, the touch screen that activates the shield is shown twice. It is clearly encrusted with a thousand years of dust. But as Leo actually puts his hand over the screen it is suddenly as clean as the day it was made.
Miscellaneous
Many people believe that, when the group goes to the crashed spacecraft, there are rock formations in the aircraft. This would not be possible, since it takes millions of years and a lot of pressure to form rocks. The spacecraft, however could have landed on rocks that were there before the spacecraft crashed.
Miscellaneous
(at around 45 mins) When Leo and co. come out of the lost city there's a shot from some distance, back at the ship. Look to the far right and you will see a road with clear tire tracks on it.
Character Error
We first see Captain Leo Davidson training a chimpanzee in astronautics. Its inconceivable that an officer with such responsibility would be unaware of the taxonomic and cladistic difference between apes (including chimpanzees and humans) and monkeys (the New World and Old World monkeys). Yet he twice refers to his student as a "monkey".
Character Error
The monkey in the pod that is launched at the beginning is shown in a full spacesuit except he is not wearing any gloves.
Continuity
The scratch on Leo's neck swaps sides and disappears randomly.
Continuity
(at around 8 mins) When the chimp is taking off from the ship you see Leo with his hands behind his back. In the next shot you see them at his side.
Continuity
(at around 24 mins) When Thade's niece buys their human pet, the bolt on the cage is left out. In the next shot, it's bolted shut again.
Continuity
(at around 10 mins) When Leo enters the delta pod he puts on his helmet and it loosely touches the collar of his spacesuit. In the next shots it fits perfectly in the collar.
Continuity
(at around 1h 6 mins) As Leo begins to enter the water with Ari on his back, she puts her hands over his face. In the next shot from further across the water, they are by his side. The hands return over his face once they are in the water.
Crew/Equipment Visible
(at around 1h 35 mins) During the final battle, studio lights are reflected on Thade's helmet.
Miscellaneous
There are numerous apparent plot holes in the story which are explained away in supplementary material (DVD booklet, novelization, etc). This includes the frequently asked question regarding the presence of horses. These remain goofs as far as the casual viewer is concerned, but they are the subject of much heated debate and are not now included in this list.
Miscellaneous
How did humans from far and wide hear about "this human who defies the apes"? Leo was hardly noticed by anyone but the group he was with, and a few apes. The apes wouldn't publicize that a human was making fools of them, so how did word of his presence spread??
Miscellaneous
After the refugees cross the river, they set up camp and make fires. They are in the middle of the desert and there are no trees as far as the horizon. Where did they get the firewood?
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 26 mins) When Leo is holding the branding iron close to Ari's face, the hot part of the iron is obviously painted orange to appear hot, and stays that color way too long.
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 1h 40 mins) After the chimp gets into his cage, we see an ape with his makeup incomplete.
Revealing Mistakes
(at around 45 mins) As Leo and co. escape the city through the tunnels, they break through some boards covering the tunnel exit. One of the boards has been clearly sawn through and is broken at that point.
Continuity
(at around 1h 45 mins) When Leo and Daena kiss at the end, Daena then runs off. But as Leo then gets into his pod, Daena is visible in the crowds again.
Trivia:
In order to star in this film, Tim Roth declined the role of Professor Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001).
Mark Wahlberg joined the film after meeting with Tim Burton for only five minutes. He was so anxious to work with the director that he agreed to play any part. Wahlberg dropped out of the role of Linus in Ocean's Eleven (2001) to do this film. He refused to wear a loincloth like Charlton Heston did in Planet of the Apes (1968) because he did not want to remind audiences of his underwear modeling.
Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison are the only actors to appear in both this film and Planet of the Apes (1968).
Michael Clarke Duncan had sprained his ankle during filming and was forced to go to the hospital in his full gorilla makeup.
One of the things Rick Baker enjoyed doing was making himself up as an ape and scaring people at a drive-in theater showing the original Planet of the Apes (1968)
It was after this movie wrapped that director Tim Burton and leading lady Helena Bonham Carter became romantically involved. Instead of moving in with her in her Hampstead home in London, Burton bought two next-door houses which the couple both share today (2010).
Female chimpanzees weren't going to have eyebrows but they were added after the first results were deemed too unsettling.
Tim Burton himself insisted that this movie was not a "remake", but a "reimagination" of Planet of the Apes (1968); it uses the idea of an ape-inhabited planet from the same source material as the 1968 movie, but ultimately tells a very different story.
Director Tim Burton has been quoted as saying that he has a fear of monkeys. He changed the character of Thade from a White Gorilla to a Chimpanzee for this reason.
(at around 18 mins) Attar (Michael Clarke Duncan) says to Captain Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg), "Take your stinking hands off me, you damn dirty human!" mirroring the original line from George Taylor (Charlton Heston) in Planet of the Apes (1968). "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"
Tim Burton wanted to give a "Cornelius-like role" to his friend Paul Reubens but neither actor nor character was included in the end.
Ari was first planned as an "ape princess" and the romantic interest, but Fox vetoed any kind of human-ape romance calling it "weird and unnatural". The veto stood, even after Tim Burton offered to make it platonic or just implied.
Gary Oldman was considered for the role of General Thade, which went to his Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) costar Tim Roth. He would later play Dreyfus in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014).
Different versions of this film were in development since 1988. Directors involved in pre-production over the years include Alan Rifkin, Sam Raimi, Oliver Stone, Phillip Noyce, Chuck Russell, Chris Columbus, Roland Emmerich, Michael Bay, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, and Albert Hughes & Allen Hughes. In 1993, Oliver Stone wanted Terry Hayes as writer and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role. James Cameron dropped out in 1997 after the success of Titanic (1997).
The character of Leo Davidson is regarded as a messiah by the primitive humans. Fittingly, his named translates (from a mixture of Latin and Old English) as Lion, Son of David, combining two of Jesus Christ's traditional titles.
This is the second of two films co-written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal in which David Warner (Senator Sandar) appeared. The first was Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991).
Mark Wahlberg joined the film after meeting with Tim Burton for only five minutes. He was so anxious to work with the director that he agreed to play any part. Wahlberg dropped out of the role of Linus in Ocean's Eleven (2001) to do this film. He refused to wear a loincloth like Charlton Heston did in Planet of the Apes (1968) because he did not want to remind audiences of his underwear modeling.
Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison are the only actors to appear in both this film and Planet of the Apes (1968).
Michael Clarke Duncan had sprained his ankle during filming and was forced to go to the hospital in his full gorilla makeup.
One of the things Rick Baker enjoyed doing was making himself up as an ape and scaring people at a drive-in theater showing the original Planet of the Apes (1968)
It was after this movie wrapped that director Tim Burton and leading lady Helena Bonham Carter became romantically involved. Instead of moving in with her in her Hampstead home in London, Burton bought two next-door houses which the couple both share today (2010).
Female chimpanzees weren't going to have eyebrows but they were added after the first results were deemed too unsettling.
Tim Burton himself insisted that this movie was not a "remake", but a "reimagination" of Planet of the Apes (1968); it uses the idea of an ape-inhabited planet from the same source material as the 1968 movie, but ultimately tells a very different story.
Director Tim Burton has been quoted as saying that he has a fear of monkeys. He changed the character of Thade from a White Gorilla to a Chimpanzee for this reason.
(at around 18 mins) Attar (Michael Clarke Duncan) says to Captain Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg), "Take your stinking hands off me, you damn dirty human!" mirroring the original line from George Taylor (Charlton Heston) in Planet of the Apes (1968). "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"
Tim Burton wanted to give a "Cornelius-like role" to his friend Paul Reubens but neither actor nor character was included in the end.
Ari was first planned as an "ape princess" and the romantic interest, but Fox vetoed any kind of human-ape romance calling it "weird and unnatural". The veto stood, even after Tim Burton offered to make it platonic or just implied.
Gary Oldman was considered for the role of General Thade, which went to his Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) costar Tim Roth. He would later play Dreyfus in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014).
Different versions of this film were in development since 1988. Directors involved in pre-production over the years include Alan Rifkin, Sam Raimi, Oliver Stone, Phillip Noyce, Chuck Russell, Chris Columbus, Roland Emmerich, Michael Bay, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, and Albert Hughes & Allen Hughes. In 1993, Oliver Stone wanted Terry Hayes as writer and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role. James Cameron dropped out in 1997 after the success of Titanic (1997).
The character of Leo Davidson is regarded as a messiah by the primitive humans. Fittingly, his named translates (from a mixture of Latin and Old English) as Lion, Son of David, combining two of Jesus Christ's traditional titles.
This is the second of two films co-written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal in which David Warner (Senator Sandar) appeared. The first was Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991).
