Twentieth Century Fox Film has announced a year-long celebration of the iconic sci-fi franchise PLANET OF THE APES. The year-long celebration commences with exclusive exhibit
at USC School of Cinematic Arts.

The still-expanding series has to date produced nine films, two television series, novels, comics, games and other collectibles and merchandise and is arguably one of the key properties in establishing the modern template of successfully creating sequels, spinoffs, and merchandising from one original storyline through multiple media outlets.

The first film in the popular series was released in February 8, 1968 and is now considered a classic, frequently appearing in “greatest films of all time” polls. To this day it remains firmly embedded in the pop culture lexicon and continues to engage new generations of audiences worldwide and influence current filmmakers.

This week, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards, continuing a legacy of acclaim that began in 1968 when PLANET OF THE APES was nominated for two Academy Awards, and won an Honorary Oscar for Special Makeup Design. RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES and DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES were also both Oscar-nominated for Visual Effects.

The year-long celebration of the acclaimed series will commence with an exclusive exhibit and retrospective at the USC School of Cinematic Arts entitled “50 Years of Planet of the Apes.”

A vast collection of props, costumes, photos, posters and artwork from across all iterations of the longstanding franchise will be on display in the Hugh Hefner Exhibition Hall at USC beginning with a preview on January 26, 2018, an official opening February 9, 2018, and running through May 13, 2018. In addition, a series of panels and screenings will accompany the showcase including “Legacy of the Planet of the Apes”, a conversation with Linda Harrison, Matt Reeves, William Creber, Dan Striepeke, Dylan Clark, Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, and Rupert Wyatt, following a screening of the original film.

Beth Goss, Chief Brand Officer, 20th Century Fox Film, commented: “PLANET OF THE APES is a game-changing series and one of the crown jewels of mainstream cinema. Consistently thoughtful and innovative, hugely popular and of course, incredibly influential, it has weaved social commentary, action and adventure into stories that have captured the public’s imaginations for decades. And it continues to be at the forefront of pioneering filmmaking. We’re delighted to launch our year of celebration in partnership with USC.”

Alex Ago, Director of Programming and Special Projects at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, said: “We enthusiastically welcome this retrospective as it offers such a broad yet intimate look at the enduring PLANET OF THE APES universe. At SCA, we encourage our students to learn from timeless classics as they endeavor to shape the future of film and media, and the still mounting success of Planet of the Apes is a testament to the power and longevity that film can possess.”

RETROSPECTIVE SCREENING SCHEDULE

7:00 P.M. on Friday, February 9th, 2018
The Frank Sinatra Hall at the Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre Complex, USC Campus

Planet of the Apes (1968) 50th Anniversary Screening, followed by a panel discussion, “Legacy of the Planet of the Apes”, featuring cast & crew from across the Planet of the Apes universe.

7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 20th, 2018 The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex

Double-Feature Screening of Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) & Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971).

7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, February 28th, 2018 The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex

Double-Feature Screening of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) & Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).

7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018 The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex

Screening of Planet of the Apes (2001), followed by a panel discussion, “Designing the Planet of the Apes”, featuring Planet of the Apes production, costume, and makeup designers.

7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, April 11th, 2018 The Ray Stark Family Theatre, SCA 108, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex

Screening of Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), followed by a panel discussion, “Business of the Planet of the Apes”, featuring guests from Planet of the Apes productions, comics, literature, merchandising, and archives.

2:00 P.M. on Sunday, April 15th, 2018
The Frank Sinatra Hall at the Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre Complex, USC Campus

Double-Feature Screening of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) & War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), followed by a panel discussion, “Secrets of the Planet of the Apes”, featuring guests from the new trilogy and Planet of the Apes historians and scholars.

Also in April, the School will host an immersive day of interactive Planet of the Apes experiences, featuring VR, Performance Capture, and Video Game demos. More information to come.

The Frank Sinatra Hall at the Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre Complex is located at 3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007.

The USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex is located at 900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007.

All events are free and open to the public, and RSVPs are required. To make RSVPs, visit: http://cinema.usc.edu/Apes