even the cover of the DVD has given away the ending for a decade or more that I know of.
Only one release of the DVD in 2001 had a cover that gave away the ending. All subsequent releases in 2003 (
http://www.potamediaarchive.com/images/HVcovers/DVD_Planet-1968b.jpg
), 2006 (
http://www.potamediaarchive.com/images/HVcovers/DVD_Planet-1968c.jpg
) and 2008 (
http://www.potamediaarchive.com/images/HVcovers/bluray_planet.jpg
) had different covers.

Did you just return from deep space on a mission of your own or what?
This movie has been part of pop culture for over forty years. The ending has been mentioned and spoofed over and over again even the cover of the DVD has given away the ending for a decade or more that I know of.
Weird

I didn't see Burton's 2001 film in theaters, so I went out of my way to avoid reviews or any kind of spoilers so I could see it unbiased when the disc was released. But I did hear that it had a twist ending.
When I finally watched the movie, as soon as Wahlberg launched the ship toward the end, I knew what was going to happen, having read the original novel.
That movie doesn't bother me as much as it does some people; it's inferior, of course, to the original movie series, but I didn't think it was that bad for what it was.

I was annoyed when apprised of the twist too, but sober reasoning calmed my agitation.
I mean reasoning such as this:
(1) A twist ending is ephemeral. You are only surprised once. Since the high quality aspects of a film can be enjoyed repeatedly, any elements that give enjoyment only once don't qualify as high quality. So you're not losing out on much.
(2) I've often felt that knowing a twist ending before I first watch it can be more satisfying than being surprised. That's because my brain can concentrate on the meaning of the ending rather than being distracted by surprise. And the more meaningful the ending is, the less important its 'surprise' element is.
(3) Knowing there's a twist ending to a film, without knowing what the twist actually is, can raise expectations too high. You may well then find the ending anti-climactic.
(4) As mentioned by someone earlier in the thread, plot belongs on the lowest tier of a film's attributes. And surprise belongs on the lowest tier of a plot's attributes. Clarity, credibility, economy, and balance are all more important aspects of a plot than surprise (which is really just decorative frippery).

Yes that was a stupid cover from the 2001 DVD release. Thankfully, they didn't use it for the 2 subsequent DVD releases or the 2008 Blu-Ray release.

Depending on how you saw the film, the spoiler might have come from the film makers themselves! Check out the cover to some home media launch.
http://fontmeme.com/planets-of-the-apes-font/

I usually don't mind plot spoilers because I don't think plot is the most important element of a movie, and it's only an inferior movie that depends on the surprise of a plot twist for its primary value. If the movie is any good in the first place, the twist should still be satisfying.
To use the example of a slightly more recent movie, "I'll have what she's having" should still be funny when finally seeing it in context in
When Harry Met Sally
even after seeing the out-of-context clip a hundred times.
As Dr. Gregory House once said, "If the wonder is gone when the truth is known, there never was any wonder."
Also, you're talking about
Planet of the Apes
here. This is not just some obscure murder mystery from the 1930s, this is an iconic classic that had a huge impact on the culture of its day (including the young up-and-coming generation) and entered the world's consciousness as few movies do, in a way that makes it impossible to hide from its plot twist over forty years later.
This is like someone being annoyed that he knows about Adam and Eve and the apple before reading Genesis for himself.
I don't know if it's "really wacky," but your French is coming along.

The DVD and Bluray menus themselves have a Statue of Liberty buried in the sand design as part of the rotating images that come up. So, straight up, they're already spoiling it for anyone who watches this for the first time.

And yet you think I need medication for that, so you're being melodramatic as well.
If I used "dislike" instead, would that please you?

You think I need medication because I hate when people spoil a movie for me,
No. That's not what I said. You're melodramatic because you're using the word "hate" to describe film buffs.
I don't read or respond to private messages. Sorry.

You think I need medication because I hate when people spoil a movie for me, and you somehow think
I'm
the one that's being melodramatic? I even refrained from name calling, too.

This is a prime example of why I hate pretentious film buffs.
Then you're a needlessly melodramatic twat who requires a copious dose of medication.
I don't read or respond to private messages. Sorry.

The apes speaking English and being able to read Latin letters kind of gave it away

Says the guy whose username is "KirkCameronsFailedCareer".

This message has been deleted.

12 years as a slave.
I wonder if he was a slave for 12 years!
Its that man again!!

Death of a Salesman - he dies.
It wasnt me, it was the other three. Hang them!

Spoilers!

And Close Encounters had an alien ship land.

'Any James Bond movie - 007 saves the world, kills the bad guy and gets the girl.'
Actually in Skyfall the villain wanted to kill M and die himself which actually.
Its that man again!!

Titanic - The ship sinks.
It wasnt me, it was the other three. Hang them!

You forgot a few:
Patton

• The Allies defeat the Nazis.
  All the President's Men
• Nixon Resigns.
  Apollo 13
• The crew makes it safely back to Earth.
  Recount
• The Supreme Court stops the recount and declares George W. Bush the winner.
  Zero Dark Thirty
• They kill Osama bin Laden.
  Any James Bond movie
• 007 saves the world, kills the bad guy and gets the girl.

You Maniacs! You spoiled it! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

Just an FYI guys, here is the trailer to the sequel:
The final shot of the first film is included in the first 20 seconds. The producers and studio spoiled the ending less than 2 years later.