Beneath the Planet of the Apes debuted a mere two years after the groundbreaking original, yet Charlton Heston was reluctant to reprise his iconic role. Following the phenomenal success of 1968’s Planet of the Apes, 20th Century-Fox eagerly sought to capitalize on the franchise’s popularity, hastily pushing Beneath into production. Released in 1970, the sequel quickly revealed a significant flaw that hindered its reception.
While it fared reasonably at the box office, Beneath the Planet of the Apes received lukewarm reviews from critics, currently holding a mere 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film’s ominous tone was frequently criticized, providing a stark contrast to its predecessor. Furthermore, one of its major weaknesses was Heston’s limited presence within the film; he only agreed to a brief cameo that frames the story and initially hesitated to return at all.
Why Charlton Heston Is Barely in Beneath the Planet of the Apes
The Legendary Oscar-Winning Actor Didn’t Do Sequels
Charlton Heston was a standout star in Hollywood’s biggest epics during the early stages of his career, featuring in monumental films such as The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur. His performance in Planet of the Apes marked his initial venture into the science fiction genre, and although the film was a landmark success, it didn’t persuade Heston to embrace sequels. At the time, sequels were largely viewed as unoriginal cash grabs rather than a legitimate continuation of stories.
In discussions documented in Planet of the Apes Revisited, co-authors Edward Gross, Joe Russo, and Larry Landsman highlight that Heston remained skeptical about returning to the role of Taylor. His agreement was conditional: he insisted that Taylor must meet a tragic end in the sequel. This demand is believed to have influenced the uneven quality of the film’s script.
How a Bigger Role for Charlton Heston Would Have Changed the Original Franchise
The Planet of the Apes Probably Wouldn’t Have Been Destroyed
A pivotal narrative obstacle in Beneath the Planet of the Apes is the catastrophic destruction of Earth itself—the film concludes with Taylor activating a doomsday device that obliterates the planet. This finale not only satisfied Heston’s request for Taylor’s demise but also served as a potential endpoint for the franchise. Nevertheless, the subsequent release of Escape from the Planet of the Apes cleverly negated this conclusion by introducing characters who escape prior to the destruction.
James Franciscus plays Brent, an astronaut who mirrors Heston’s Taylor, serving as a bridge between the original and the sequel. Had Heston demonstrated greater enthusiasm for reprising his role, the narrative trajectory of Beneath the Planet of the Apes would have likely shifted. A more robust character arc for Taylor could have resulted in a less grim narrative, and crucially, the planet may not have perished. This would have created opportunities for further sequels focused on the dynamics of ape civilization rather than convoluted time-travel plots.
The original Planet of the Apes series includes:
| Movie | Release Year | Rotten Tomatoes Score |
|---|---|---|
| Planet of the Apes | 1968 | 86% |
| Beneath the Planet of the Apes | 1970 | 37% |
| Escape from the Planet of the Apes | 1971 | 75% |
| Conquest of the Planet of the Apes | 1972 | 52% |
| Battle for the Planet of the Apes | 1973 | 33% |
The timeline regarding Earth’s destruction in the Planet of the Apes series is intricate and has undergone several modifications. However, the narrative coherence would have likely benefitted had Beneath the Planet of the Apes aligned more closely with typical sequel conventions. Consequently, Heston’s choices in relation to this film dramatically influenced the future trajectory of this beloved sci-fi franchise.