Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes gets intense

Keeps you engaged

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I went into the premiere screening of

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes completely blind. Save for literally a couple of clips online and a few press releases, I knew nothing about the movie. And that includes the trilogy that preceded it. 

Given that, I didn’t feel lost watching the latest installment of the franchise and enjoyed my time in the IMAX theater.

Many generations later 

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is set many years after the passing of Caesar. He is the main protagonist of the original Planet of the Apes films as well as the reboot trilogy in the 2010s: Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and War of the Planet of the Apes.

‘Kingdom’ sets up a new beginning for the franchise, this time, with Noa as the protagonist. Noa is part of an ape clan that nurtures Eagles, hence the name Eagle Clan. In the film, he goes on a journey that puts him in a path that’s in direct collision against Proximus Caesar – the new ape in charge of a much larger, more brutal clan. 

Their paths cross due to Mae – a human on the run from the forces commanded by Proximus Caesar. 

Engaging hero’s journey 

Noa (played by Owen Teague) in 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

A big chunk of the film takes its time to acquaint us with Noa. A calculated move considering he likely will be who we will follow for the succeeding films. Unlike Caesar, Noa is far removed from the time when humans were the dominant species. Noa’s way of life with his clan is relatively simple, especially compared to the world we live in today. 

(Center): Freya Allan as Nova in 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

But that is immediately shaken as his encounter with Mae early in the film inevitably leads to him being on the opposing side of  the masked apes wielding taser-like spears working under Proximus Caesar.

Raka (played by Peter Macon) in 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Along his journey, he meets Raka. An elderly ape looking to preserve knowledge from the time of Caesar’s rule and even before that. 

We get more than enough time with Noa, learning his sensibilities, skills, abilities, and his motivations. The film spends nearly half its run time just making sure we’re acquainted with him and it does so in a manner that’s engaging and entertaining. 

All that time spent is paid off in a couple of sequences that truly shows Noa’s growth. Won’t say more, but I’m sure that when you see it, you’ll know. 

Intense, edge of your seat sequences 

Proximus Caesar (played by Kevin Durand) in 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The film has plenty of high octane moments that raise the tension as you’re watching. But even in the quieter moments there’s still some kind and level of tension that will, as the cliché goes, keep you on the edge of your seat. 

The action heavy sequences are perfectly balanced between moments of tension of characters just quietly waiting for what another character will do before they make a move. 

The one truly relaxed sequence comes after Noa first meets Raka. But after that, we’re introduced to successive moments of varying tension levels that hit a fever pitch at the film’s climax. 

Curious narrative choices

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

(L-R): Noa (played by Owen Teague) and Raka (played by Peter Macon) in 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Despite being set many generations after the passing of Caesar, the apes haven’t seem to have advanced much. This was the first thing that came to mind at the start of the film. 

This comes to question even more as we learn more about Mae throughout the film. Her outfit along with the actions she takes early in the film clue us in on the true state of the world.

As we’re introduced to Promixus Caesar, we learn that this choice was deliberate. Proximus seeks the knowledge and technology from the time the humans were still in charge. But instead of discovering it for himself, his preferred method is brute forcing his way into an empty human stronghold. 

Personally, I still believe the apes should have advanced more. Although, only a small portion of the earth was showcased in this film. There’s plenty of wiggle room for future films to explore what the apes have been up to in the rest of the world.

Should you watch Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes?

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes gets intense in the right moments and takes you on an engaging hero’s journey. The theme of interspecies co-existence, which I believe is a core tenet of the franchise, remains strong and comes into the forefront near the film’s climax.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable flick. But should you watch it? To answer that, I’m introducing my personal ‘Watch scale’: 

  • Watch ASAP
  • Watch at your convenience
  • Wait for crowd/ hype to trickle down
  • Wait on streaming
  • Skip 

For me, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sits squarely between the Watch at your convenience and Wait for crowd/hype to trickle down. It’s well-made and enjoyable, but unless you’re deep into the Planet of the Apes franchise, there’s no merit in fighting through crowds to go see it. 

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now showing on Cinemas.

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KPop Demon Hunters is officially getting a sequel

Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans will return to write and direct.

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March 13, 2026

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This feels like a formality at this point. Netflix and Sony have officially confirmed that KPop Demon Hunters is getting a sequel.

If you feel like you’ve read this exact title before, then you’re not alone. Since its massive success last year, the hit animated film constantly spawned talks of a potential franchise. It probably helped that the title quickly became Netflix’s most-watched film of all time. From the last we’ve heard of the rumors, Netflix was reportedly eyeing a 2029 premiere for the sequel.

Now, it’s official. As posted by Netflix itself, KPop Demon Hunters will get a sequel soon. Even better, the follow-up will be written and directed by the same duo, Maggie Kang and Chris Applehans.

Kang, who celebrated the first movie’s ability to tell a Korean story, says that there’s a lot more to explore in the film’s universe. “There’s so much more to this world we have built and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning,” she said.

Right now, the plot’s sequel is still unknown, especially since the Saja Boys were defeated in the first film.

Given how big the original movie got, the sequel is no surprise. Besides bagging the top spot on Netflix’s charts, the film also got an eventual release in theaters. KPop Demon Hunters is up for a potential Oscars win after it was nominated for Best Animated Feature. Its hit song, “Golden,” is also nominated for Best Original Song.

SEE ALSO: KPop Demon Hunters is now Netflix’s most-watched movie

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The internet is thirsting over the One Piece Season 2 cast

And honestly, fair

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March 12, 2026

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Netflix One Piece Season 2

Clips from One Piece Season 2 are circulating across TikTok, Threads, and X — and the internet has reached a very clear conclusion.

Screenshots of Zoro, Nami, Luffy, and Miss All Sunday have been circulating widely online.

This cast is aggressively attractive.

One Threads post even asked the question outright: “Why is the One Piece cast aggressively attractive?” Judging by the reactions online, plenty of fans seem more than happy to investigate.

And after watching the new season ourselves, we can confirm: yes, the viral moments making the rounds online are very real.

Zoro continues to be the internet’s favorite

A big chunk of the viral clips revolve around Mackenyu as Zoro.

Specifically, a scene where the swordsman appears shirtless — showing off a physique that fans immediately began thirst-posting about across social media.

It’s the kind of moment that practically feels engineered for screenshots. Stoic expression. Scarred swordsman energy. Abs fully visible.

Naturally, the internet noticed.

Luffy gets his Hollywood abs moment

Even Iñaki Godoy gets a similar viral moment.

One circulating clip shows Luffy wearing nothing but a towel, with his abs in full view. Fans quickly clipped the scene and began sharing it across social platforms.

Godoy himself seems aware of the moment. In one interview clip now floating around online, the actor joked that he might as well enjoy the “Hollywood abs” moment now — since his next role might just have him playing a regular guy.

Fair point.

@lyn_ching7 Have you seen shirtless LUFFY yet? Prepare for his “12 pack” ⚔️😁 @Netflix Philippines @Netflix @onepiecenetflix #onepiece #netflix #netflixph ♬ original sound – Ms. Lyn Ching

The internet also noticed Miss All Sunday

Another character generating plenty of reactions online is Miss All Sunday, also known to fans as Nico Robin.

Trailer comments posted by Netflix quickly filled up with reactions from viewers pointing out the character’s striking appearance — including jokes asking why her chest looked so prominent in the preview.

Other fans quickly pushed back, asking the obvious question: why complain?

Nami might be winning the internet

Still, the character that seems to be getting the biggest reaction online is Nami.

Clips and screenshots of Emily Rudd wearing a tiny red bra have been circulating widely, with fans praising both the character’s look and Rudd’s screen presence.

The scene is brief, but it clearly made an impression.

And judging by the number of screenshots floating around online, a lot of viewers had the exact same reaction.

Some people tuned in out of curiosity.

Others may have tuned in after seeing those screenshots.

Honestly, fair.

Either way, the viral clips are real — and they’re all pulled directly from the new season.

One Piece Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

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Entertainment

Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action adaptation

The adaptation is coming from One Piece’s Tomorrow Studios.

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March 11, 2026

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The live-action One Piece, which recently premiered its second season on Netflix, is one of the rare wins for the anime adaptation segment, especially after a string of misfires. Now, after the success of that series, things are getting bolder. Tomorrow Studios, which produced Netflix’s One Piece, will adapt Samurai Champloo into a live-action format.

Still from the brilliant mind of Shinichirō Watanabe, Samurai Champloo is often touted as the samurai version of Watanabe’s more popular Cowboy Bebop but with a more cohesive story and a hipper soundtrack. Since its first airing over two decades ago, the series has enjoyed a cult following, especially for those who enjoyed Cowboy Bebop.

First reported by Variety, Tomorrow Studios will adapt the show into a live-action series. Critically, Watanabe will be involved in the show’s production.

Because the show is still in early development, there’s no news beyond that. In fact, though it’s likely that Netflix will pick the series up, Tomorrow Studios hasn’t shopped the series to platforms yet.

Samurai Champloo is going to be a huge gamble for the studio. Previously, Tomorrow Studios crashed and burned with its Cowboy Bebop adaptation, which ended up getting canned soon after its premiere. Watanabe even criticized the series for changing the plot too much.

This time, however, Watanabe has given his blessing and will likely steer the adaptation to success. The studio has also promised an adaptation more faithful to the original’s story and soundtrack. Both of which were crucial to the original show’s success.

SEE ALSO: One Piece: Into the Grand Line unveils final trailer ahead of premiere

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