The MonsterVerse is set to expand with the impending arrival of the new Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The series is set in the shared universe created by Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros., wherein Godzilla, King Kong, and other prominent monsters exist. This MonsterVerse kicked off in 2014 with the Godzilla reboot, which brought the King of Monsters back to the big screen after a decade-long hiatus. Legendary Pictures also succeeded in attaining the rights to King Kong, setting up the mega gorilla in the same universe as Godzilla with Kong: Skull Island.
Since then, the MonsterVerse has been steadily growing with two additional films, including a Godzilla and King Kong crossover, as well as an animated series. Now, the franchise is preparing to debut its first live-action series. Monarch will feature Godzilla and other titans, though it’s unclear if King Kong will make an appearance. However, the most interesting aspect of the show is that it will finally dive fully into Monarch, the shady organization featured in every film.
Viewers have been able to piece together that Monarch is a government organization that has been secretly studying monsters for decades. Many details about the organization and its people are shrouded in mystery, though. Given how long Monarch has been around and the sensitive information it handles, it seems like there’s a bigger story. Now, Apple TV+ is preparing to delve deep into Monarch’s secrets with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Here’s everything we know about this MonsterVerse series so far.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters release date
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will premiere exclusively on Apple TV+ on November 17.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer
Apple TV+ dropped the first official trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on September 8.
The trailer sees the return of one familiar face from the franchise: John Goodman’s Bill Randa, who appeared in Kong: Skull Island. In the film, Randa is the head of Monarch before his passing. However, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters confirms that he left behind a video message for his family, expressing his desire to leave a legacy. This results in his family delving into Monarch’s history to explore just what Randa’s legacy truly was. We hear that Monarch was built to protect both humans and monsters, but we get a feeling this isn’t how things turned out. Additionally, the trailer ends with a promising look at Godzilla unleashed on the world in a scene with fairly sophisticated CGI for a TV series. With mystery, nods to the franchise’s past, and strong visuals in the trailer, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters looks promising.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has tapped Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt Russell to play Army Officer Lee Shaw. The senior Russell will portray Shaw in the present, while Wyatt will portray a younger version of Shaw, as the show is split between the present and the 1950s. Joining the Russells is Anna Sawai, who recently made her breakthrough in another Apple TV+ series, Pachinko. Sawai plays Cate Randa, a schoolteacher who uncovers family secrets while visiting Japan. Her last name hints that she’s related to Bill Randa. Goodman’s appearance in the trailer further supports that Cate and others in the series may boast a relation to him.
Meanwhile, Workaholics‘ Anders Holm is reportedly appearing in the series as a younger version of Bill, likely in the 1950s before his passing. 461 Days of Bento star Ren Watabe has also joined the cast of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as a character named Kentaro, who is on a mission to learn about his mysterious father, and Dope‘s Kiersey Clemons plays May, an American expat.
Joe Tippett has been cast in the role of Tim, a white collar worker who seeks more adventure in the field. Additionally, Elisa Lasowski will star as Duvall, who is described as a confident and skilled “expert operative.” Supernatural star Christopher Heyerdahl is also listed on IMDb as portraying a character named General Puckett, while child actor Roman Kinsella is slated to appear as his son. Rounding out the cast are Mari Yamamoto as Keiko, Qyoko Kudo as Emiko, John Collins as Agent Sabitha, and Lisa Chandler as Grace Burke.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters plot
Apple TV+’s official synopsis for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reads:
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 synopsis confirms that the present-day timeline in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters takes place after the events of Godzilla vs. Kong, as it references the monsters’ battle. Additionally, as mentioned above, it confirms that Monarch will play a big role in the series as two siblings venture deeper into its secrets and their families’ relationship to the organization. Given the setting, it seems possible these unnamed siblings are the children of Randa. However, it remains to be seen just how these characters and the story tie into the films.
While the synopsis seems like largely a search for answers, we also know Godzilla will be on the loose at some point. It’s good to know that, in addition to the story of Monarch and the family at its center, we can also expect some monster mayhem from the series.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
