Three Short Films Bridge the Gap Between Rise and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste

Read our announcement | See the 10 Best Games of 2025 (So Far)

In order to bridge the gap of 10 years taking place between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the upcoming Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, 20th Century Fox has partnered with Motherboard to create three short films.

You can watch the first short, titled Spread of Simian Flu: Before The Dawn of the Apes (Year 1), above. A husband and daughter must fend for themselves after the mother contracts the Simian Flu.

Struggling to Survive: Before the Dawn of the Apes (Year 5) takes place after a majority of humanity has now been wiped off the face of the earth due to the Simian Flu. Watch the short below for the story of a teenage girl who barters property she has stolen from dead people’s homes in order to survive.

The final short, also below, is Story of the Gun:Before the Dawn of the Apes (Year 10) and shows the shifting of a shotgun. Over time, the gun’s owner changes but all who touch it seem to follow the same ill-fated path.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is directed by Matt Reeves and stars Andy Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell. The film hits theaters July 11.