The Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Trailer: Is That Doctor Zaius?

On November 2, 20th Century Studios premiered a teaser trailer for "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," the first entry in the film series since "War for the Planet of the Apes" in 2017. Of course, these movies are adapting material from the classic Planet of the Apes franchise that kicked off with the 1963 novel "La Planète des singes" by Pierre Boulle and its subsequent 1968 film adaptation simply titled "Planet of the Apes." Notably, this new trailer debuts a character that might remind some viewers of a villain from that 1968 movie who has yet to appear in the franchise's present-day incarnation.

In the original "Planet of the Apes," Maurice Evans plays an orangutan who holds a key leadership role in ape society named Dr. Zaius. This character went on to become a staple of plenty of additional Apes projects, most recently factoring into the 2018 novel "Death of the Planet of the Apes." Fans of "The Simpsons" might remember his name from the chorus of a song in a "Planet of the Apes" parody musical.

Meanwhile, a deep-voiced orangutan shows up at about the 0:36 mark of the first "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" trailer. Since Dr. Zaius is among the most iconic characters in the franchise, it stands to reason that existing Apes fans might presume that this character is, in fact, Dr. Zaius. As it turns out, press materials that 20th Century Studios circulated specify the orangutan is a brand-new character named Raka.

In September 2022, oftentimes credible Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman shared a "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" plot summary with his Patreon subscribers, mentioning that an orangutan named Raka would be one of the film's principal characters. Just after the first "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" trailer premiered online, 20th Century Studios confirmed that the orangutan in the preview is Raka, portrayed by actor Peter Macon of "The Orville" fame.

The plot of "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" takes place generations after "War for the Planet of the Apes," at which point humans have become animal-like. In his first film appearance, Dr. Zaius serves as a foil to its intelligent human protagonists. So even if Dr. Zaius is somehow involved in the upcoming Apes film, his role would be altered significantly since most of the humans appear to be living in a feral state. Fans can find out just what Raka brings to the table when "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" premieres in theaters on May 24, 2024.