Matt Shakman directs new Planet of the Apes film

The Planet of the Apes franchise just got a significant boost. According to Deadline, Matt Shakman has officially signed on to direct the next installment in the long-running sci-fi series — a franchise that has collectively pulled in over $1.7 billion at the worldwide box office since its first film debuted in the late 1960s. That's not a small legacy to carry forward.

For those tracking what's coming to streaming platforms, this one is worth watching closely. The previous Planet of the Apes films are already available on Disney+ in many countries, and any new theatrical release will almost certainly find its way there eventually.

Matt Shakman at the helm : a director with serious credentials

Shakman isn't exactly an unknown quantity. His name carries real weight after delivering WandaVision for Disney+ — one of the most-discussed Marvel series when it launched — and more recently directing The Fantastic Four : First Steps for Marvel Studios. He also spent time in the monster movie universe, working on Apple TV+'s Monarch : Legacy of Monsters, which ties into the Godzilla and King Kong mythology. That's a varied but consistently large-scale filmography.

Beyond directing, Shakman will also take on a producer role on the project, alongside Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, the duo who architected the modern Apes trilogy starting with Rise in 2011. Their involvement signals that this new film won't be a careless side project — these are people who've invested years building this world.

Here's a quick look at Shakman's recent major projects before this announcement :

• WandaVision (Disney+, 2021) — Marvel's first Disney+ original series
• Monarch : Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+, 2023) — MonsterVerse expansion
• The Fantastic Four : First Steps (2025) — Marvel Studios theatrical release
• New Planet of the Apes film (in development, 2026)

It's a track record that shows comfort with both streaming productions and major theatrical franchises — exactly the kind of experience this project demands.

What we know about the new Planet of the Apes film

Josh Friedman has been brought in to write the screenplay. His résumé is relevant here : he co-wrote Avatar : The Way of Water, Avatar : Fire and Ash, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — the 2024 reboot that successfully relaunched the franchise. He also previously collaborated with Shakman on The Fantastic Four : First Steps, so this is a reunion of tested creative partners.

Plot details remain tightly under wraps. What's been confirmed is that the story will unfold on a planet where apes reign as the dominant species — consistent with the franchise's core premise. However, it won't serve as a direct sequel to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. That's an interesting creative choice. It suggests Disney and 20th Century Studios want room to maneuver rather than locking themselves into a rigid continuation.

One question worth raising : could this new film actually release before a direct sequel to Kingdom ? Disney might be running two tracks in parallel — one continuing the 2024 storyline, another exploring a fresh angle within the same universe. Nothing has been confirmed, but the studio's appetite for franchise expansion across multiple formats makes this scenario plausible.

Disney's franchise strategy and what it means for streaming

20th Century Studios' catalog has become one of Disney's most valuable assets since the 2019 acquisition. The Apes franchise is a prime example of intellectual property that holds genuine cultural staying power — Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes proved there's still a real audience for this world, both in theaters and on streaming.

Disney has been actively developing new animated and live-action projects to expand its portfolio at major festivals and beyond, and the Apes franchise fits squarely into that broader content push. The existing films streaming on Disney+ serve as a built-in audience funnel — viewers who discover or revisit the earlier movies are naturally primed for whatever comes next.

That said, this project is clearly still in early development. Creative teams can shift, timelines stretch, and a theatrical release could be several years away. We'll keep tracking updates on availability and platform announcements as they come — that's exactly the kind of information that matters when you're deciding what to watch and where.

What makes this announcement genuinely interesting isn't just the director or the writer — it's the deliberate decision to sidestep a direct continuation. Franchises that resist the pressure to simply repeat their last success tend to age better. Whether this new Planet of the Apes film can balance fan expectations with something genuinely fresh is the real question to watch as production develops.