Disney acquired many franchises when it merged with 20th Century Fox, and after telling new stories in the worlds of Alien and Predator, Marvel's thrilling venture into the Planet of the Apes mythos will continue next January.
Acclaimed writer Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow) is set to team up with rising star Álvaro López for Beware the Planet of the Apes, a new four-issue limited series that takes readers back to the groundbreaking original film saga. Featuring the franchise's most beloved characters like Cornelius, Zira, and Nova, the new series will be steeped in appreciation for the classic style of the initial films.
Beware the Planet of the Apes is going to be a prequel to the events of 1968's Planet of the Apes, the influential movie that kicked off the ape domination of science fiction throughout the 70s and beyond.
Into the Forbidden Zone! In a hostile world run by aggressive gorillas, scientists Cornelius and Zira are the only apes alive who see value in the mute, dumb human race - but even they know human capabilities have severe limits. So when their nephew Lucius goes missing, it is with great trepidation that they turn to a human ally, a young woman who will someday earn the moniker "Nova."
"I’ve been entertained and intrigued by Planet of the Apes ever since I got a Mego Doctor Zaius doll as a birthday present, and my local television station ran the original pentalogy every afternoon for a week in the summertime," Guggenheim says. "In many ways, Apes is one of the OG franchises, filled with mystery, fascinating characters, and some truly off-the-wall surprises."
"That’s the spirit I’m working to evoke with Beware the Planet of the Apes. I’m particularly excited that we’re going to be reusing some of Doug Moench, George Tuska, and Alfredo Alcala’s original Marvel work on Adventures on the Planet of the Apes as a part of our storytelling."
Marvel Comics and Planet of the Apes have a deep history that goes back over 40 years. Marvel first published Planet of the Apes stories in 1974, and in 1975, Marvel published Adventures on the Planet of the Apes, full-color adaptations of the legendary Planet of the Apes films.
Celebrated for its imaginative world-building and its adept tackling of social issues, the science fiction franchise has spanned over five decades with media including comics, books, films, television series, video games, and toys, and Marvel is thrilled to explore the storytelling limits of this iconic saga once again.
You can take a closer look at Taurin Clarke's cover below, and we'll surely have more to share with you about Marc Guggenheim and Álvaro López's take on the Planet of the Apes legacy ahead of this title's debut next January.