Published Jul 28, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT
Robert Wood is a writer and editor based out of Cheshire, England. He is the author of 'The False Elephant: and 99 Other Unreasonably Short Stories' - 100 stories, each told in exactly 100 words.
Rob got into comics via Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man and the UK anthology 'The Mighty World of Marvel,' which was running Frank Miller's Daredevil, Classic Hulk and Contest of Champions II.
Prior to journalism, he worked in copywriting and copyedited for Oxford University Press. He is on X as @PinchTwigs and Instagram as roobwoodjourno.
Two of the most iconic sci-fi franchises of all time are officially crossing over tomorrow for the first time, leading to an epic clash that's never been seen before. Here's everything you need to know, and where to find this historic first.
The 1980s were an amazing time for sci-fi cinema, with franchises including The Terminator, Alien, RoboCop, Mad Max and Predator getting their start. Now, one of the luminaries of the era is crossing over with a far older icon from the '60s.
Tomorrow's Predator vs. The Planet of the Apes will bring two beloved science-fiction franchises together, as the Yautja stalk through the jungles of 3978 AD.
While Planet of the Apes was made famous by the 1968 movie, it was actually based on Pierre Boulle's 1963 novel La Planète des singes.
Predator vs. The Planet of the Apes Crossover Begins Wednesday
Coming from Greg Pak (Planet Hulk, Battlestar Galactica) and Alan Robinson (Star Wars, Back to the Future), Predator vs. the Planet of the Apes is the first ever crossover between these legendary franchises, releasing July 29.
The story sees a Yautja crash-land on the titular Planet of the Apes (future Earth, for anyone who missed one of the most famous twist endings in sci-fi history), with humans from the far future added to the mix, pursuing the ill-fated astronauts from the original 1968 Planet of the Apes.
Astronaut 'Arch' will encounter icons including General Ursus and Dr. Zira, hunting the deadly Yautja as it makes the irradiated 'Forbidden Zone' its hunting grounds - the secret home of a race of mutated, telepathic humans who worship an atomic bomb.
However, even if the Predator can be vanquished, ape society has made it clear it won't suffer an intelligent human to live, putting Arch's life at risk whether the alliance wins or loses. The first issue's synopsis reads:
WORLDS COLLIDE!
When a deadly Yautja crash-lands on the legendary Planet of the Apes, two worlds will collide for the very first time! After a rescue mission gone wrong, astronaut Arch finds herself embedded in a hostile ape society where humans are subservient. But the hunters soon became the hunted when the apes find themselves being stalked by Predators! A three-way war is about to erupt between humans, apes and Yautja - who will reign supreme?!
Marvel's 20th Century Studios Comics Are a Gift to Sci-Fi Fans
Predator vs. the Planet of the Apes is the latest series from Marvel's relatively new 20th Century Studios imprint. So far, the imprint has published new stories from the worlds of Alien, Predator and Planet of the Apes (both the classic and modern continuities.) There have also been a number of crossovers with Marvel properties, such as Planet of the Apes vs. Fantastic Four and Predator vs. Wolverine.
Notably, Predator vs. the Planet of the Apes is the first crossover from the imprint that brings two 20th Century Studios properties together. Back in the '90s, Dark Horse held a similar license, and thrilled fans with the epic Aliens vs. Predator. So far, Marvel has been reluctant to pull the same trigger, however a Planet of the Apes crossover is just as fascinating.
It's worth noting that Marvel also currently has the comic rights to Godzilla, which could facilitate future crossovers between these disparate sci-fi franchises. However, if the idea of a Planet of the Apes/Godzilla crossover sounds good, it's worth checking out BOOM! Studios' 2017 epic, Kong on the Planet of the Apes, from Carlos Magno and Ryan Ferrier.
Alien vs X-Men Is Coming Soon
Another crossover fans should be aware of is the upcoming Alien vs X-Men, from Kieron Gillen and Geraldo Borges. The miniseries will pit Marvel's mutant heroes against Alien's Xenomorph, fighting for dominion over Earth. Aliens vs. Avengers (Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic) was the surprise hit of 2024, so there are high hopes for this spiritual sequel crossover.
With Marvel heading up new comic adventures for Predator, Alien and Planet of the Apes, these franchises have a new life that fans could previously only have dreamed of. However, Predator vs. the Planet of the Apes is particularly historic, representing the first crossover between the two and Marvel's first exploration into combining its 20th Century Studios franchises without superheroes in the mix.
Predator vs. the Planet of the Apes #1 is coming July 29 from Marvel Comics, with Alien vs X-Men #1 comic September 16.
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