What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPlanet of the Apes
Franklin J. Schaffner · Film · 1968
If you loved Planet of the Apes, start with Planet of the Apes (Pierre Boulle, 1963) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Planet of the Apes across media.
What hooked you in Planet of the Apes was the way it uses speculative scenarios to force a jarring re-evaluation of human civilization.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Ted Post · Film · 1970
Adaptation
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Film · 1971
Books on the same thread
Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert Anson Heinlein · Book · 1991
Shares a thread with Planet of the Apes: Social Science Fiction.
Much like the protagonist in Planet of the Apes, Valentine Michael Smith serves as an outsider whose presence reveals the absurdities and inherent flaws of established human cultural norms.
From the Earth to the Moon
Jules Verne · Book · 1967
Explores: Space Travel, Technological Advancement, Human Ambition.
If the space travel aspect of Planet of the Apes captured your imagination, this classic explores the same foundational human ambition to conquer the unknown reaches of the cosmos.
The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury · Book · 1977
Explores: Colonialism, Nostalgia, Environmentalism.
This collection mirrors the critical perspective found in Planet of the Apes by using an alien landscape to hold a dark mirror up to humanity's history of colonial expansion.
The Time Machine
H. G. Wells · Book · 2016
Explores: Time Travel, Social Darwinism, Class Division.
The Time Machine shares the bleak vision of Planet of the Apes, utilizing a strange future to provide a scathing critique of class division and the trajectory of evolution.
Series on the same thread
Star Trek
Gene Roddenberry · Series · 1966
Explores: Exploration, Diplomacy, First Contact.
While Planet of the Apes focuses on a collapse of society, this series maintains that same spirit of exploration and first contact while navigating complex, high-stakes moral dilemmas.
From the Earth to the Moon
Tom Hanks · Series · 1998
Explores: Space Race, Technological Advancement, American Exceptionalism.
Where Planet of the Apes depicts the tragic end of human dominance, this series documents the real-world technological drive and Cold War ambition that defined our era of space exploration.
Planet Earth
Series · 2006
Explores: Biodiversity, Conservation, Natural Wonders.
Planet of the Apes emphasizes the fragile hierarchy of species, and this documentary provides a profound look at the global ecosystems that humans often take for granted in their hubris.
The Twilight Zone
Rod Serling · Series · 1959
Shares a thread with Planet of the Apes: Existentialism.
The unsettling social commentary and unexpected, reality-bending twists that made Planet of the Apes so memorable are the essential ingredients of this classic anthology series.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Planet of the Apes: Existentialism.
This podcast explores the same existential questions regarding individual responsibility and societal structure that Taylor must confront while struggling to survive on the world of Planet of the Apes.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
The sociopolitical critique present in Planet of the Apes finds a grounded, historical counterpart here, examining how the foundations of society dictate the treatment of others throughout history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch the original Planet of the Apes movies in?
The original series begins with the 1968 film Planet of the Apes, followed by the 1970 sequel Beneath the Planet of the Apes, and the 1971 installment Escape from the Planet of the Apes. These movies follow the chronological release order of the franchise.
Is the movie Planet of the Apes based on a book?
Yes, the 1968 film Planet of the Apes is based on the 1963 science fiction novel of the same name. Both works explore the premise of an astronaut arriving on a planet where apes rule over a primitive human population.
Does the 1968 Planet of the Apes have any sequels?
Yes, the 1968 film Planet of the Apes has several direct sequels. You can continue the story by watching Beneath the Planet of the Apes, released in 1970, and Escape from the Planet of the Apes, which was released in 1971.
What is the premise of the original Planet of the Apes?
In the 1968 film Planet of the Apes, an astronaut named Taylor crash lands on a planet where apes hold power and treat humans as subjects for experimentation. Taylor becomes a target of the apes until he receives help from a sympathetic chimpanzee scientist.