An entirely other movie was conceived long before the Planet of the Apes films we know today. Oliver Stone, a well-known filmmaker best known for films like Platoon, JFK, and Born on the Fourth of July, was set to helm this production. Though Stone’s version of Planet of the Apes was a crazy idea that was never realized, it would have been a really original work of art.
The Strange Idea Behind Stone’s Planet of the Apes
Fox, a film studio, sought to revive the Planet of the Apes series in the 1980s and 1990s. Fox was keen to revive the original series, which had concluded with Battle for the Planet of the Apes in 1973. They went through a number of authors and directors in an attempt to find the ideal match. Oliver Stone was one of these directors, and it was he who had this odd notion for a new Planet of the Apes film.
Return of the Apes, Stone’s adaptation, differed greatly from earlier entries in the series. The apes in the narrative had been frozen for a very long period. These monkeys had unique codes that, when compared to the Bible, might be used to forecast the end of the world. If the Bible had a secret code that these apes alone could decipher, Stone thought that would be interesting. This concept was highly uncommon, especially for a show about sentient apes.
A Script That Got Even Weirder
Stone hired Terry Hayes, a screenwriter well known for his work on the Mad Max films, to create the script when he had the idea. Stone’s already bizarre concept was rendered much stranger by Hayes. He chose not to apply the concept of the Bible code. Rather, he created a tale in which people were attempting to make sense of the conflict between hidden societies and antiquated faiths.
A sequence in Hayes’ script where human babies were born elderly was one of the more bizarre elements. These infants appeared to be regular babies, but they had a lot of wrinkles, giving the impression that they were older. This was every bit as strange as the biblical theory of apes possessing hidden codes. Many began to speculate as to what kind of film this would have been had it never been produced.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Was Going to Star
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a popular action hero from the 1980s, was set to play the lead role in order to add even more intrigue to the film. Schwarzenegger was a huge star at the time thanks to his parts in films such as The Terminator and Conan the Barbarian. Schwarzenegger was supposed to play Will Robinson, a scientist, in Return of the Apes. This figure was attempting to find the reason behind the aging of human babies at birth.
In the narrative, Robinson learns that the illness causing the old baby issue was once inserted into human DNA. He goes back in time to investigate what happened and discovers that the disease was brought about by intelligent apes. It would have been interesting to watch Schwarzenegger in a scientific position, as it was a far cry from the macho action hero roles he normally did.
How It Could Have Changed the Franchise Forever
The Planet of the Apes franchise might have taken a very different path if Return of the Apes had been produced. Even with a subpar film, such as Tim Burton’s 2001 adaptation, the series might have been revived in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. However, rather than the current reboot series, we may have seen more bizarre films from Stone and Hayes if Return of the Apes had been a box office hit.
Ultimately, the fact that Return of the Apes was never produced is probably a good thing. Even while the bizarre plot could have been entertaining to see, it’s likely that viewers wouldn’t have given it any credence. The Planet of the Apes television series might have ended permanently with the film. Rather, we got the wildly popular and lucrative modern reboot series. Planet of the Apes has a fresh lease of life as a result of the reboot, and fans can’t wait to see what happens next.
Conclusion
The crazy concept of Oliver Stone’s Planet of the Apes was never realized. It had everything from elderly babies and time-traveling scientists to frozen monkeys with hidden codes. It’s probably best that the movie never got made, even though it could have been entertaining to watch. Rather than following this route, the Planet of the Apes franchise took a different turn, which resulted in the popular reboot series we have today.
FAQs
Who is Oliver Stone?
Oliver Stone is a well-known director who has made films including JFK and Platoon.
What was Oliver Stone’s idea for Planet of the Apes?
Return of the Apes was the name of his concept, which featured frozen apes with hidden codes that may foretell the end of the planet.
Why did the movie Return of the Apes never get made?
The film was never developed beyond the planning stages because it was deemed too bizarre.
Who was going to star in Return of the Apes?
Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to play Will Robinson, a scientist.
How did the Planet of the Apes franchise continue without this movie?
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a highly popular 2011 remake of the series, marked the eventual end of the series.
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