Summary
- According to actor Kevin Durand, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' antagonist Proximus Caesar added the latter title to his name to shore up his own power.
- Described as a "tyrant," Proximus wanted to draw the connection between him and the original Caesar, who by this point is "almost a religious figure."
- What remains of Caesar's influence hundreds of years later will be a key element of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set for release on May 24, 2024.
In an interview from the print edition of Empire, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes actor Kevin Durand explains why his antagonist character bears the name Proximus Caesar. According to the actor, “Proximus has taken on the name Caesar because it was the highest position held in ape society.” Thus, it was a “self-proclamation,” related to the power status that Proximus holds as a “tyrant.” Check out the full quote from Durand below:
“Caesar is almost a religious figure, and Proximus has taken on the name Caesar because it was the highest position held in ape society. It was a self-proclamation that was achieved by any means necessary, to ensure that apes continue to evolve. So you’re seeing the influence and the evolution of what Caesar left. And like every morsel of human history, there’s always some type of tyrant who comes along and scares everyone into believing them.”
How Much Will Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Connect With The Previous Trilogy?
When Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was first announced, it was thought that the protagonists would consist of Cornelius, Caesar’s son, and Nova, the human girl who was introduced in War for the Planet of the Apes. Later, this was revealed not to be the case, and its place in the Planet of the Apes franchise timeline was recently revealed as 300 years after Caesar brings the apes to the promised land. Thus, all the characters are entirely new, and have only seeds of the Caesar there once was.
That said, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will likely call back to the Caesar era even without direct reference. While Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an origin story for Caesar, both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes explore the building of an ape society and the challenges that exist therein. Caesar laid the groundwork for a functioning society, but Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes can explore whether, as the centuries ed, that political system was maintained or crumbled.
From the sounds of it, the "tyrant" Proximus will in many ways be a foil for Caesar himself. This choice will create an interesting opportunity for comparison between the two leaders, and to explore what happens when a leader of yesteryear has their messages spun completely out of context. The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes trailer promises an epic adventure out of those themes, which the film can hopefully live up to.
Source: Empire (print edition)
