I get a kick out of Legendary’s Monsterverse. At least, past their first Godzilla, which spent more time teasing without really building up characters. As those movies have gone on, they’ve managed to hint at complex backstory without having to deliver. That burden fell upon streaming services. Netflix has an animated series filling in things on the Skull Island side. And now Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters wants to play with the big ape, too.
That came as a surprise to me. Season One used Godzilla judiciously, while not holding back. the dual casting of Russells remains a stroke of genius, helping Wyatt bolster his charisma. Adding Kong to the mix? Cool.
As fun as it is, this jumping around Monarch’s history shines a light on a problem. Legendary didn’t really have a master plan, just a broad outline. Kong: Skull Island set up Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson as key players in Monarch, but the movies didn’t revisit that time period. From film to film, we have to just nod and go along with it when they say certain things happened. (Love Dan Stevens, but his dentist to the monsters role is… what? When did that happen? How do you learn to specialize in that?)
And certainly, Godzilla: King of the Monsters left the world in a much darker state than the follow-up movies did. That brings us back to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which did a pretty good job of connecting dots pre- and post-Godzilla. A new continuity arose, and fans clearly dug it, because Wyatt Russell is getting his own spin-off as young Shaw. I have high hopes for this second season, because they’re not being shy. We’re getting more Godzilla. We’re getting Kong. We’re also getting a new Titan X, perhaps strengthening Godzilla’s and Kong’s roles as protectors. Violent, near drunken protectors, but protectors nonetheless.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stars Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett and Anders Holm. The 10-episode second season will premiere globally on Friday, February 27, 2026, with the first episode, followed by one episode every Friday until May 1, 2026.
Season one tracks two siblings looking 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 Colonel 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.
Season two will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon. As previously announced, season two will feature Kong, Godzilla and introduce a new Titan: the enigmatic Titan X that is now officially on the loose. Titan X isn’t just another monster; it’s a living cataclysm. When its massive bioluminescent form breaks the surface of the ocean, the world seems to hold its breath. In “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” season two, Titan X stands at the center of the mystery – an ancient force emerging from the deep, its purpose uncertain, its power unmatched, its awe and terror in equal measure. New season two guest stars include Takehiro Hira, Amber Midthunder, Curtiss Cook, Cliff Curtis, Dominique Tipper and Camilo Jiménez Varón.
