Fans of Planet of the Apes, the Alien, and Predator franchises rejoice, as Marvel Comics has announced the creation of new "20th Century Studios" imprint, to specifically house comic adaptations of these beloved franchises, with even more to be announced in the coming weeks.

Announced today by Marvel, the official "20th Century Studios" imprint will begin in April with Planet of the Apes #1 — written by David Walker with art by Dave Wachter. The title was first announced several months ago, and will be followed by the publisher's newest adaptations of both Alien and Predator, whose prior Marvel Comics series have received critical acclaim and positive response from many fans.

Marvel 20th Century Studios Planet of the Apes #1 Cover

After a more than 80-year-long relationship between Marvel Comics and 20th Century Studios, Marvel's "...new imprint will draw upon 20th Century Studios’ award-winning and pop culture-defining franchises that have reached millions of fans around the globe." In 2019, Marvel Comics' parent company, the Walt Disney Company, acquired 21st Century Fox and subsequently rebranded its film production 20th Century Studios. The studio's other franchises include major film series like Avatar, The X-Files, and Firefly, among many others.

Related: Marvel's Alien Comic Takes A Brilliant Step Forward For Deaf Representation

Marvel's Alien and Predator Comics Deepen The Franchises Lore

Alien Predator Marvel Comics Featured Image

The Alien franchise has a long history of comics, with Dark Horse Comics publishing many Alien series over the years. Since 2021 Marvel Comics has had the rights to the Alien franchise, and has already published two popular series written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson that expand on the beloved movie series' deep lore, adding nuance and heart to an already popular series. Johnson's 2021 Alien series - with art by Salvador Larroca - focused on military man Gabriel Cruz and a Bishop-model android dealing with Xenomorph monsters aboard a Weyland-Yutani space station in a rescue mission for Cruz's son. The 2022 Alien series that just wrapped up was written by Johnson with art by Julius Ohto. Set some years after the 2021 series, it followed a group of Synth soldiers as they investigated a human colony on the planet Tobler-9, only to run into a horrific group of Xenomorphs. That series also saw the birth of the first Xenomorph-human hybrid.

A new Alien series is set to debut in 2023 - written by Declan Shalvey with art by Andrea Broccardo. It will follow scientist Batya Zahn as she and her family run into a group of Xenomorphs on an icy moon research station. While Marvel's Alien comics have been published since 2021, its first Predator series debuted in 2022 and follows the fierce human Theta as she searches for the Predator alien, or Yautja, that murdered her parents, proving that the Predator's real worst enemy is a vengeful human, not the emotionless Xenomorphs.

Planet Of The Apes Will Reveal The Story Of The Movies Untold War

Planet of The Apes Marvel Comics Cover Art

Marvel first announced that it would be publishing a new Planet of the Apes comic back in June, and it is truly exciting to now have a release date for the first issue. Speaking on this new step for Marvel Comics with its 20th Century Studios imprint, Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski had this to say:

“Ever since we announced our Alien and Predator comics, we hoped to create a special space within our comics line to go even bigger and bolder and keep building on the iconic moments from these properties that we all know and love. This 20th Century Studios comics imprint, in collaboration with our friends at 20th Century Studios, is the perfect way to do that. Now that we’re bringing back Planet of the Apes again through classic comic book storytelling, we are absolutely thrilled to officially launch this imprint for the fans, and we’re all honored to expand upon it in the coming months.”

Fans of the Planet of the Apes films are surely looking forward to the newest comic book adaptation of the beloved franchise, with Marvel's new series filling in a major gap in lore left out in the films. It will focus on the story of man's war with the apes that beings right after 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes film. To celebrate the Planet of the Apes coming to Marvel, many variant covers were commissioned showing the franchise's titular apes fighting various Marvel heroes across the Marvel Universe, a brilliant way to get fans hyped for the upcoming series.

Hopefully Marvel's upcoming Planet of the Apes comic will continue the success of the publisher's recent Alien and Predator comics and lead to Marvel Comics' new 20th Century Studios imprint being able to adapt even more beloved franchises from the movie studios huge catalogue of popular films.

More: Alien's Newest Monster is a Brilliant Tribute to Xenomorph Creator H.R. Giger

Source: Marvel Entertainment

Planet of the Apes #1 from Marvel Comics debuts April 5, 2023.