We Never Saw A Body

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes actor Kevin Durand addresses whether Proximus Caesar could return in a future installment. Durand’s villainous character is the latest antagonist in the long-running franchise. He poses a threat to the ape Noa (Owen Teague) and the human Mae (Freya Allan), and to the future of all apes and humans. During Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ ending, Noa defeats Proximus Caesar with the help of the eagles, which culminates in the villain plunging to his death.

While speaking with ScreenRant during an interview for Clown in a Cornfield at SXSW, Durand shares that he is still optimistic about Proximus Caesar potentially returning in a future sequel. He emphasizes that a body is never shown, which leaves possible room for the former tyrant to have survived his perilous fall. Durand also expresses how much he enjoyed playing the character and that he would be thrilled to play him again. Check out his comments below:

You know, we never saw a body. I remain cautiously optimistic. I would love for him to come back. I had so much fun playing him, so we’ll have to wait and see.

What This Means For The Planet Of The Apes Franchise

Proximus Caesar’s Return Is Possible, But Unlikely

Without a body being shown, there is an avenue for Proximus Caesar to return, especially for a franchise rooted in science fiction. That being said, the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sequel seems more interested in the conflict between apes and humans than it does in bringing Proximus Caesar back. The first movie of the new trilogy focuses on establishing Noa and Mae as protagonists and developing a tenuous trust between them as they work together to defeat their common enemy.

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The trilogy has now seemingly moved beyond this part of their story and is focused on the secrets Mae kept from Noa. Mae being part of a secret human colony, and the fact that she helps them restart their satellites, is the setup for the second movie. Between the satellites and the final scene being Noa looking through a telescope into space, the sequels are also poised to expand their scope beyond Earth. Proximus Caesar does not seem to have a place in this evolving story, but his return is a possibility that cannot be entirely ruled out.

The Franchise Shouldn’t Undermine Noa Defeating Proximus Caesar

Proximus Caesar letting out a war cry in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

As someone who has enjoyed Durand’s work since Lost, I was thrilled that he was a key member of the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes cast. He does an excellent job playing a villain who has weaponized the teachings and legacy of the previous trilogy’s Caesar (Andy Serkis) for his own gain. However, Proximus Caesar’s defeat is a pivotal moment in Noa’s character arc. Bringing Proximus back may undermine Noa’s prior development and could get in the way of the larger story set up by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes‘ ending.