No, That's Not Cornelius In The Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Trailer
20th Century Studios just debuted the first teaser trailer for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," the latest flick in the long-running franchise. The first look at the picture doesn't feature any familiar characters from the reboot trilogy (2011-2017), but don't worry: this isn't another reboot. Instead, the upcoming Wes Ball-directed flick is operating as a sequel of sorts to "War for the Planet of the Apes," which featured the death of Caesar (Andy Serkis). The official plot synopsis from 20th Century Studios says that "Kingdom" is set "several generations in the future following Caesar's reign." While we don't know just how far into the future the film is set, we do know that a character many assumed would play a big role, Cornelius, (probably) isn't in the film.
In the lead-up to the film's release, it was speculated that "Kingdom" would focus on Cornelius, the son of Caesar. Cornelius was first seen in "War of the Planet of the Apes" as a little child. Played by Devyn Dalton, Cornelius' role is minimal. But prior to the first look at "Kingdom," it was suggested that Cornelius would return as an adult, trying to live up to the expectations set by his father. It was even reported that Owen Teague, the film's lead actor, would be playing Caesar's son. But an official press release confirms that Teague isn't playing this mythical Cornelius, and there's nothing to indicate that there even is a Cornelius in the picture. Teague is, instead, playing Noa, a brand-new character.
Who is Cornelius?
It makes sense why it was assumed that "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" would focus on Cornelius, the heir to Caesar's throne. After all, in 2020, director Wes Ball teased on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "Caesar's legacy will continue..." What's a better way to continue a legacy than to focus on the leader's child, who had an appearance in the previous film? Unfortunately, there's no concrete evidence to suggest that Cornelius is even in this new film. While 20th Century Studios and Ball could have some tricks up their sleeves by reintroducing the character, that's best left to those who want to speculate.
In the original 1968 "Planet of the Apes," Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) is a doctor who plays a substantial role in the story. As the series continued into the '70s, with films like "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" and "Escape from the Planet of the Apes," the layers were peeled back on the highly intelligent Cornelius. In "Conquest for the Planet of the Apes," the character of Caesar (also played by McDowall), the son of Cornelius, was introduced. However, the original batch of "Planet of the Apes" films doesn't operate in the same timeline as the rebooted films, which began in 2011 with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."
Cornelius, whether the son of Caesar or some entirely different character, could pop up in "Kingdom," but for now, audiences will just have to deal with Noa, the franchise's new main character.
"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" hits cinemas on May 24, 2024.