1968 was the year of release for Planet of the Apes.
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner . It was the first in a series of five films made between 1968 and 1973 , all produced by Arthur P. Jacobs and released by 20th Century Fox . The film was released on February 8 , 1968 , in the United States and was a commercial success , earning a lifetime domestic gross of $ 32.6 million .