Planet of the Apes (1968 film) was well received by critics and audiences, launching a film franchise, including four sequels, as well as a short-lived television show, animated series, comic books, and various merchandising. In particular, Roddy McDowall had a long-running relationship with the "Apes" series, appearing in four of the original five films (absent, apart from a brief voiceover, from the second film of the series, "Beneath the Planet of the Apes", in which he was replaced by David Watson in the role of Cornelius), and also in the television series. The original series was followed by Tim Burton's remake "Planet of the Apes" in
Planet of the Apes imprisoned in a primate sanctuary, Caesar uses his ingenuity to launch an uprising. The screenplay contains complex connections to other entries in the series, causing some confusion as to its exact relation to them. Oliver Lindler writes that while the film's premise might identify it as a remake of "Conquest", official dispatches and professional reviewers typically avoided the term, instead calling the film a prequel or "origin story" to the original "Planet of the Apes" film, and/or a reboot of the series; fans and bloggers were more apt to refer to it as a "remake". The completed script attracted director