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 Méndez. The film opened on May 26, 1970. Unlike its predecessor, "Beneath" was poorly reviewed; critics typically regard it as the worst of the "Apes" sequels other than the last, "Battle for the Planet of the Apes". Nonetheless, it was a major box office hit, nearing the original's numbers. Despite a conclusion depicting the planet's nuclear destruction, Fox requested another sequel, creating a series. Following the financial success of "Beneath", Arthur P. Jacobs recruited Paul Dehn to write a new script with a brief telegram: "Apes exist, Sequel required." Dehn immediately started work on what became "Escape from the Planet