Apple TV+ has recently revealed the name of its ten episode Monsterverse series, Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters. Along with the official name, Apple TV+ also unveiled our first look at the show with a handful of images.
Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters will tell us the story of a family getting to grips with their chequered history, as well as discovering how they’re involved with the shadowy Monarch organization. Interestingly, Kurt and Wyatt Russell will be playing the same character, Army Officer Lee Shaw, 50 years apart as the series explores three generations of kaiju related mystery.
In addition to images, we have been given an official synopsis alongside.
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
Official Synopsis
How We Got Here
The franchise began back in 2014 with Godzilla, followed up with the prequel Kong: Skull Island in 2017, Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019, Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021, and most recently, Skull Island in 2023 over on Netflix. Alongside the upcoming Monarch TV series, the franchise will also continue with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, which was revealed earlier this year with a brief teaser trailer.
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Monarch: Legacy of Monsters was co created by Matt Fraction and Chris Black, who are both on board as executive producers alongside Matt Shakman, who will direct the first two episodes. Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Hiro Matsuoka, and Takemasa Arita will also executive produce. Monarch: Legacy of the Monsters also stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski.
Following the success of the 2021 film, Godzilla vs. Kong, Legendary Television proposed a live action spinoff series to follow in Godzilla’s massive footsteps. In January 2022, Apple TV+ negotiated and ultimately won the bid for the Monsterverse project, giving it an immediate green light.
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Starting with the 2014 film Godzilla, Legendary’s Monsterverse currently has four films, including Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and of course, Godzilla vs. Kong. This series will be the sixth instalment in Legendary’s Monsterverse, following Netflix’s Skull Island, which was released earlier this year.
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As of right now, there are currently 36 films in the Godzilla franchise and 12 films in the King Kong franchise.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will be a joint venture production between Legendary Television, Safehouse Pictures and Toho, as a part of the shared fictional universe. Created by Matt Fraction and Chris Black, the 10-episode series will be released on Apple TV+ with Matt Shakman (WandaVision) directing the first two episodes.
What do you think of the series title? Are you excited for more Monsterverse world building? Let us know in the comments below!
