Hot on the heels of the success of their Monsterverse series, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” Apple TV+ announced that the acclaimed show has been renewed for a second season. Produced by Legendary Entertainment, who is also behind the Monsterverse films like the recent “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” Apple also announced a deal they made with the company to create multiple spin-offs from the TV Monsterverse and based on ‘Monarch’ series.
Details of what those series are and how they will connect to the Monsterverse are unclear. “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters” was essentially a spin-off from both the “Godzilla” movies and “Kong: Skull Island.” In fact, the series was a prequel set a few months after the events of the first “Godzilla” film directed by Gareth Edwards in 2014. (read our review).
“‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ has left an indelible imprint on the hearts, minds, and imaginations of audiences around the world, led by the brilliance of Chris, Matt, Kurt, Wyatt, and the incredibly gifted, talented cast and creative team,” said Morgan Wandell, head of international development for Apple TV+. “We couldn’t be more excited for viewers to not only have the chance to experience even more thrills in season two but to embark on epic, new journeys in the franchise as we expand Legendary’s Monsterverse.”
Here’s the season one synopsis:
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.
The upcoming second season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is executive produced by showrunners and co-creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction (“Hawkeye”) along with Joby Harold (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman (“Fantastic Four”), Andrew Colville, and Jen Roskind. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character. Toho licensed the rights to Legendary for “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” as a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship with the film franchise.
In short, there are lots of plans but few details. “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters” ended (*spoiler*) in 2015 with Kurt Russell’s Shaw character sacrificing himself so the others could live, so we shouldn’t expect him back for season two (and Wyatt Russell played a younger version of the character, so it’s unlikely we’ll see him again too). The series then featured a 2017 coda at an Apex Cybernetics research station on Skull Island, where all the remaining Monarch members evacuate as Kong approaches.
Ultimately, more narrative was teased, but the story, as it was presented in ‘Legacy of Monsters,’ was complete. The direction where any of these spin-offs could go seems innumerable.