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Hulu’s 4-Part Sci-Fi Epic Is One of the Best on Any Streaming Platform
An entertainment feature on Collider argues that the rebooted Planet of the Apes series, whose four films are streaming on Hulu, ranks among the finest science-fiction sagas available on any streaming service. The piece frames this as notable because many long-running sci-fi franchises struggle to reinvent themselves successfully, whereas this series is praised for its epic scope and the way it patiently builds a coherent, evolving world across its instalments.
The article traces the franchise's history, noting Tim Burton's 2001 reboot attempt and a period when James Cameron was approached to revive the series before he made Titanic. It highlights how the new trilogy, beginning with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, updates the original's premise: rather than a nuclear apocalypse, the ape uprising stems from a viral outbreak triggered by scientist Will Rodman's Alzheimer's drug, ALZ-112, reworking the twist at the heart of the original 1968 film.
In short
- Collider praises Hulu's Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy as top-tier sci-fi.
- Franchise reinvents the original's nuclear war premise with a viral outbreak.
- References Tim Burton's 2001 version and James Cameron's earlier interest.
Explained simply
The Planet of the Apes is a science-fiction franchise that originated with a 1968 film depicting a future world where intelligent apes are the dominant species and humans have been subjugated. The original became iconic for its striking twist ending. This central concept has been reimagined several times, most recently through a contemporary reboot.
The modern reboot, beginning with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, rethinks the original's premise fundamentally. Where the 1968 film imagined a world ravaged by nuclear war, this version depicts how an experimental Alzheimer's medication accidentally grants super-intelligence to apes, triggering a global uprising. The films chart how this transformed world unfolds across multiple instalments.
The reboot is significant because most classic film franchises struggle when attempting to reinvent themselves for contemporary audiences. This series has been praised for its ambitious scope and the way it constructs a detailed, logically consistent world that develops meaningfully from film to film. Four instalments from this reboot are now available on Hulu.
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