Though filmmaker Wes Ball’s upcoming “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” serves as a follow-up to the “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” trilogy, it’s also set to include one key element of the original “Planet of the Apes” five-film saga that began in 1968.
That element? The Forbidden Zone – a deserted area off-limits to all apes which the films revealed to be the island of Manhattan post-nuclear war which contains remnants of human civilization.
In the original the orangutan Dr. Zauis (Maurice Evans) knows what’s there and works to keep it untouched and uninhabited – fearing ape society will collapse if they learn the truth.
Actor Owen Teague, who plays the ape Noa in the movie, says his character belongs to a community called The Eagle Clan and he explains to Total Film (via Slashfilm) why the Forbidden Zone returns here:
“They’re an isolationist society. It’s a small village but they have a territory. And Noa isn’t allowed outside that territory. The majority of the clan are kept within the boundaries.”
Production designer Daniel T. Dorrance adds that to represent the border between the Eagle Clan’s territory and the Forbidden Zone, the production used an abandoned train tunnel the crew found whilst shooting in Australia.
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” releases in cinemas on May 10th 2024.
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