At the turn of the century, Mark Wahlberg was actively building his career in Hollywood, aiming to move past his earlier reputation. Following acclaimed performances in films such as "The Basketball Diaries," "Boogie Nights," and "The Perfect Storm," Wahlberg took on a pivotal role in 2001, diving into the science fiction franchise famously brought to cinema by Franklin J. Schaffner. Under the direction of Tim Burton, a team of actors and filmmakers set out to reimagine the magic of Schaffner's 1968 feature film, "Planet of the Apes." This 2001 adaptation will soon be available to Hulu subscribers as a special addition to their catalog, arriving on December 1.

Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" draws inspiration from Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel of the same name, much like Schaffner's original. The film, released on July 27, 2001, with a runtime of 120 minutes and a PG-13 rating, follows the harrowing journey of astronaut Leo Davidson, played by Wahlberg. Davidson finds himself in peril after crash-landing on a planet where highly intelligent apes rule, possessing human-like communication and societal structures. The major problem for Leo arises when he discovers that humans on this planet are enslaved. Determined to find his way home, Leo forges alliances with both ape and human allies, together igniting a revolution.

The film's ensemble cast is notably strong, featuring Helena Bonham Carter in a co-leading role opposite Wahlberg, a common occurrence in Burton's films from that era. Other key cast members include Kris Kristofferson, Paul Giamatti, Tim Roth, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Estella Warren. Given Burton's prior works like "Batman Returns," "Mars Attacks!," and "Sleepy Hollow," his decision to helm "Planet of the Apes" was considered an unusual choice at the time and remains one of the more distinctive undertakings of his career, categorized under the Sci-Fi, Action, and Adventure genres. The screenplay was written by Pierre Boulle, William Broyles Jr., and Lawrence Konner.

Despite its ambitious nature and notable cast, the 2001 "Planet of the Apes" faced a challenging reception from critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 43% critics’ approval rating, while audiences rated it significantly lower at 27%. However, its commercial performance was remarkably different. The movie emerged as one of the year's biggest earners at the box office, generating a staggering $362.2 million worldwide and securing ninth place among the highest financial hauls of 2001. For context, the top-grossing film of that year was "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" with $974.8 million globally, followed by "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" at $868.4 million globally. Viewers can soon explore the details of Wahlberg and Burton’s critically polarizing yet financially successful venture when "Planet of the Apes" arrives on Hulu on December 1.