Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Wes Ball is adding another installment to the popularPlanet of the Apesfranchise starring Owen Teague in the lead alongside Lydia Peckham, and Freya Allan. Kevin Durand plays the main villain in the narrative, Proximus Caesar, and the actor recently revealed that he was partly inspired by one of the richest men in the world.
Elon Musk who currently stands as the second richest man in the world after LVMH chairman, Bernard Arnault, has inspired several characters in movies and shows. Musk who is undoubtedly one of the most popular among all the billionaires, also appeared in several cinematic projects including hisThe Big Bang Theoryappearance and of course, in Robert Downey Jr.’sIron Man 2.
Kingdom of the Planet of the ApesVillain Actor Revealed His Inspiration
Kevin Durand who plays the villainous Proximus Caesar— an ape king who leads a coastal clan of apes looking for human technologies— revealed that he was partly inspired by tech billionaireElon Musk. Undoubtedly, the billionaire has a huge social influence with an astonishing fan following on his own social media platform, X (formerly Twitter which he renamed after his acquisition of the company). InKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, as Durand revealed in his chat withInside Total Film podcast, Musk was among the influential people he looked at while developing his character.
5 Best Planet of the Apes Movies You Need to Watch Before Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
“That’s awesome! I mean even with the bonobo face, they compare me to Elon Musk… I get Elon Musk all the time actually, it’s very funny. People approach me with a look in their eye where I realize they are not meeting an actor that they like, it’s something bigger. But the fact that it comes through even when I’m an ape is fantastic!”Durand said in the podcast.
The actor went on to add that he was in search of charismatic speakers and Musk, according to him, happened to be one of them.
“I did look at really charismatic speakers – I watched [life coach] Tony Robbins quite a bit, Elon, Arnold Schwarzenegger doing like his governor speeches. Just these humans who without trying, you just have to watch them as they hold so much power and charisma,”he added.
Kingdom of the planet of the Apes Box Office Numbers: Wes Ball is On His Way to Beat Matt Reeves’ Record in the $2.1 Billion Franchise
Obviously, Musk’s gradual development to claim his spot as one of the richest men in the world was seemingly the inspiration behind MCU’s Tony Stark played by veteranRobert Downey Jr. And in this regard, Durand’s inspiration does not seem far-fetched.
Fans Are In Agreement With Kevin Durand
As Durand revealed his inspiration for his voice of the character in theWes Ball-directedaction sci-fi movie, fans did not have to struggle to believe the actor. Also, many fans find the facial similarity between the actor and the billionaire, and Musk’s inspiration would be an easy pick for shaping motivation for a role.
He was also an inspiration for Iron Man 🤷
— Jumbling Jerry Johnson (@JumblingJerry)July 01, 2025
Well they do look similar
— adamangus2005 (@Adamangus2006)August 01, 2025
He looks like Kevin Durand too
— gus fring (@gusfrin14293027)August 01, 2025
Considering the real actor looks a hell a lot like musk, I bet every performance of his will be based on him.
— Nick J. (@NickJ_Awesome)June 12, 2025
I find it kind of funny that Kevin Durand, the actor who plays Proxima looks like a muscle bound version Elon.
— Dan Svirsky (@SvirskyDan)June 04, 2025
Regardless, Musk’s influence is undeniable. Mark Fergus, among the screenwriters ofIron Man, previously revealed the real-life inspiration while developing Tony Stark.“Him [Musk], Trump, and maybe a little Steve Jobs,”Fergus said after giving credit to aerospace engineer, Howard Hughes (viaEsquire).
“…The working the crowd that Musk has a real natural talent for. Musk took the brilliance of Jobs with the showmanship of Trump. He was the only one who had the fun factor and the celebrity vibe and actual business substance. I’m not sure we talked about too many other people; there are not many people like that around. It’s dangerous to be a celebrity businessman. One scandal and it’s billions of dollars. People want their CEOs to shut up and be good, quiet figures who aren’t in the paper dating celebrities. Because shit can happen.”
“De Niro disgusts me”: Robert De Niro’s Anti-Trump Comment Has Made Him a Walking Target After What Elon Musk Said About the Whole Situation
To complement the quote, Musk’s cameo inIron Man 2justified the inherent connection of Musk with the titular MCU character.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesis now showing in theaters.
Lachit Roy
Articles Published :1031
Lachit Roy is a seasoned writer specializing in science and entertainment news. Armed with a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Tezpur University, he brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to his craft.Lachit is particularly passionate about crafting engaging content on entertainment news and trends. A dedicated movie enthusiast, he possesses an in-depth understanding of the cinematic world and takes joy in disseminating the latest updates to the global fandom. When not immersed in writing, Lachit can be found indulging in his love for movies and series, occasionally tending to his garden, but predominantly expanding his expertise in the realms of his interests.
