Malcolm survives the events of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” but does not appear in the sequel, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” leaving his fate ambiguous.
In “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Malcolm is a central human character who forms a bond with Caesar, the leader of the ape community. He is portrayed by actor Jason Clarke. Malcolm is a former architect who lost his wife to the Simian Flu and is the father of Alexander. He is part of a small group of human survivors living in San Francisco after the outbreak of the virus.
Throughout the film, Malcolm advocates for peace and cooperation between humans and apes. He believes that both species can coexist and works tirelessly to build trust with Caesar and the other apes. His efforts are crucial in establishing a temporary peace between the two groups.
Malcolm’s last appearance in the series is at the end of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” After a conflict between the apes led by Koba and the human survivors, Caesar regains control of the ape community. Malcolm informs Caesar that the human military is on its way to the city, which will likely lead to war. Caesar acknowledges the inevitability of the conflict but expresses his hope that, in another life, they could have been friends. Malcolm then disappears into the ruins of the city to find his family, and his ultimate fate is left unresolved.
The third film, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” does not mention Malcolm or provide any information about what happened to him after the events of the previous film. The focus shifts entirely to the conflict between the apes and the human military, led by a ruthless Colonel. As such, Malcolm’s fate remains one of the untold stories in the rebooted “Planet of the Apes” series.
