Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes taps The Witcher's Freya Allan to star, releases first look

20th Century's new Planet of the Apes installment has a title, first look, and casting announcement all in one.

According to Deadline, The Witcher's Freya Allan, who plays Ciri opposite Henry Cavill in the highly successful Netflix series, is set to star in what has officially been titled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Owen Teague (Stephen King's It) will star as the lead ape, with Peter Macon (The Orville) joining the cast in an undisclosed role. Maze Runner helmer Wes Ball is set to direct from a screenplay by Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate), returning franchise writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, and Patrick Aison (Prey). 

The studio also released a stunning shot from the film, which shows an ape on horseback against colorful, serene scenery.

"Planet of the Apes is one of the most iconic and storied science fiction franchises in film history, as well as being an indelible part of our studio’s legacy," stated Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios. "With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes we are privileged to continue the series’ tradition of imaginative, thought-provoking cinema, and can’t wait to share Wes’ extraordinary vision for this new chapter with audiences in 2024."

This will be the first new installment in the franchise since 2017's War of the Planet of the Apes, which starred Andy Serkis and Woody Harrelson.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set to hit theaters in 2024. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond or, skip right to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.