Full Plot Summary (English)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Synopsis
Scientist Will Rodman is working on a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease at Gen-Sys Laboratories in San Francisco. He tests a viral-based drug (ALZ-112) on chimpanzees to increase cognitive function. A chimp named Bright Eyes shows remarkable intelligence but later becomes unstable and is euthanized. Her infant, Caesar, inherits her enhanced intelligence due to early exposure to the drug.
Will takes Caesar home, and Caesar grows up learning sign language and forming a deep bond with Will. After being mistreated by animal control—especially by a bully named Dodge—Caesar leads a revolt within the ape shelter, freeing the other apes from captivity.
Caesar’s intelligence spreads to the ape population via a more potent viral version (ALZ-113). The apes, now sentient and highly organized, rebel and break free into the wild, fleeing across the Golden Gate Bridge. Will, acknowledging Caesar’s desire for freedom, lets him go as the new ape-led society establishes itself in the forests around San Francisco. Meanwhile, ALZ-113 escapes into the human population, setting the stage for a global upheaval.
Follow-Ups in the Reboot Trilogy
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Ten years later, humans are weakened by a viral outbreak. Caesar leads an established ape civilization, attempting peace with human survivors. However, trust breaks down, and warfare ensues. - War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
Caesar faces a brutal conflict with a human military group. This installment explores themes of leadership, sacrifice, and the cost of war. - Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Generations after Caesar’s death, apes now dominate Earth. A new hero, Noa, confronts tyranny and the moral complexities of controlling knowledge and power. Feral humans are beginning to reclaim their voice in the world.