They have found the right person to direct the next entry in the "Planet of the Apes" franchise after Matt Reeves and Wes Ball. Matt Shakman, who directed "Fantastic Four: The First Steps", has reportedly been entrusted with helming an original story instead of directly picking up from "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes".
What makes Shakman the right candidate for the job is that Josh Friedman, who wrote the script of "Kingdom", has already worked with Shakman on "Fantastic Four: The First Steps" in a co-writing capacity, and the result speaks for itself. It ended up being the most appreciated "Fantastic Four" movie, both by critics and audiences, earning approximately $521 million globally. Shakman will be involved as a co-producer alongside veteran franchise producers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.
Shakman is an ideal fit for the project, given his skill at juggling multiple characters while giving them all the necessary importance. He is also known for directing episodes on Marvel Studios' "WandaVision”, "Game of Thrones", "Succession", and "Fargo".
The last four "Planet of the Apes" films — the modern reboot franchise, that is — have collectively earned over $2 billion at the global box office. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" earned approximately $397 million, "War for the Planet of the Apes" $491 million, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" $710 million (the highest-grossing entry in the series), and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" around $482 million.
Meanwhile, Shakman is also said to be working on the sequel to "The First Step. It is too early to say when it will happen. Shakman is expected to return to direct, while maintaining the retro-futuristic aesthetic he established in the first film.
The superhero team is confirmed to play an integral role in the next MCU phase, combining with other core members of the upcoming major crossover events — "Avengers: Doomsday" (December 2026) and "Avengers: Secret Wars" (December 2027).