1968 Classic's Shocking Final Scene Became One of the Most Iconic Movie Twists Ever
As far as movie plot twists go, few are as unforgettable as the final scene in the 1968 movie Planet of the Apes. In the shocking ending, George Taylor (Charlton Heston) and Nova (Linda Harrison) are riding across a beach on a horse in search of a safe, new home, only to discover a jaw-dropping reality that changes how both Taylor and audiences see the entire Planet of the Apes story. Spoilers ahead ...
In Planet of the Apes, astronauts from planet Earth, including George Taylor, wake up from hypersleep after a years' long space expedition and find themselves far from home, on a desolate unknown planet. Soon after their crash landing, the men are hunted, captured, and enslaved by the evolved and highly-intelligent ape species who rule the planet.
In the iconic final scene of the 1968 Planet of the Apes movie, Taylor and Nova's beach ride lands them at some ruins, soon revealed to be remnants of theStatue of Liberty. Upon taking it in, Taylor realizes he's not on an alien planet after all. He has been on Earth the entire time. It's just Earth hundreds of years in the future after it's been destroyed by human hands through nuclear warfare. And, well, humans didn't fare too well in the aftermath, and the ape species evolved and took power instead.
As the revelation hits, Taylor sinks to his knees in the sand, shouting, "Oh my god. I'm back. I'm home. All the times... You finally really did it. You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! God damn you all to hell!" The scene is as dramatic for the viewer as it is for Taylor.
The Planet of the Apes plot twist was groundbreaking in the way it simultaneously reframed the entire film's narrative, subverted audience expectations, and delivered a powerful message. The audience has their minds blown right along with the character and immediately feels the need to rewatch the movie again and with the new knowledge and perspective gained.
Decades later, the movie continues to make impact, landing on several current "best of" film and pop culture lists. The movie is included in BuzzFeed's recent "The 14 Smartest Sci-Fi Movie Twists That Absolutely Blew People's Minds" and Collider's "10 Great Sci-Fi Movie Twists We Will Never Forget." The plot twist is referenced again and again.
The original Planet of the Apes movie premiered on February 8, 1968, and was released nationwide on April 3, 1968. It was the first film in what became a decades-long franchise on the same theme of evolved apes rising up in the downfall of human civilization. The Planet of the Apes franchise grew to include 10 films, spanning 1968–2024, as well as a live-action television series (1974) and an animated TV show (1975-1976).
The 1968 Planet of the Apes' script was co-written by Rod Serling, who had perfected plot twist endings in his work on the popular TV series The Twilight Zone (1959-1964). The plot twist influence of The Twilight Zone, Planet of the Apes, and even 2001: A Space Odyssey, which came out the same year as Planet of the Apes, raised the bar for sci-fi storytelling and surely influenced the writing in many films that came after.
Watch the final scene in Planet of the Apes, starring Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison:
The film also starred Roddy McDowell as Cornelius, Kim Hunter as Dr. Zira, and Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius.
Planet of the Apes is currently available for streaming via Plex (currently free), as well as on YouTube, AppleTV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home, where subscription and other fees may apply.
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This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 5:03 PM.