Return to the Planet of the Apes concepts would be Tim Burton's reimagining in 2001. Along with the second film "Beneath the Planet of the Apes", this is one of only two original "Planet of the Apes" productions in which Roddy McDowall was not involved. In 1975, after the failure of the live-action series, NBC and 20th Century Fox agreed to adapt "Planet of the Apes" for an animated series. The network contracted DePatie-Freleng Enterprises to produce a half-hour Saturday-morning cartoon titled "Return to the Planet of the Apes". Doug Wildey, co-creator of "Jonny Quest", took on most creative control as associate producer, storyboard director, and supervising
Planet of the Apes (2001 film) space missions. His favorite simian co-worker is a chimpanzee named Pericles. With a deadly electromagnetic storm approaching the station, a small space pod piloted by Pericles is used to probe the storm. Pericles's pod heads into the storm and disappears. Against his commanding officer's orders, Leo takes a second pod and goes in pursuit of Pericles. Entering the storm, Leo loses contact with the "Oberon" and crashes on a planet called Ashlar in the year 5021. He discovers that the world is ruled by humanoid apes who speak English, use domesticated horses for transportation, and treat human beings as slaves.