Everything to Know About 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters'

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is bringing Godzilla back, as well as more Titans from Hollow Earth—and proof that not all monsters come in animal form.

Taking place partially after the events of Godzilla (2014) and the 1950s, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters explores the history behind the secretive organization that studies and hunts creatures like Godzilla, Kong, Mothra and more.

Here's everything to know about Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, including the cast, release date and some of the Titans you'll get to see in the series.

Related: Fun Facts About Godzilla and Kong

Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters about Godzilla?

Partially! The King of the Monsters will appear in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, part of which takes place after the events of the 2014 Godzilla film and part of which takes place decades beforehand.

The official synopsis 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, 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.

When does Monarch: Legacy of Monsters come out?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will debut on Apple TV+ on Nov. 17, 2023.

Related: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's Best Movies and TV Shows Together

How can I watch Monarch: Legacy of Monsters?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will stream exclusively on Apple TV+.

Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streaming?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will stream on Apple TV+, but not other services.

Who is in the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stars two generations of the Russells! Here's the full roster of the main cast (so far):

Wyatt Russell as young Lee Shaw

Wyatt Russell stars as a young Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Russell noted that the character's full name is actually Leland Lafayette Shaw III.

"Part of what was really fun was getting to work on the pre-production stuff with my dad," Wyatt said. "It wasn't like, on the set, on the fly—everything has to be architected and you have to make sure you're playing the scenes the way they need to be played, so that when they happen in the future, when things are informed for the future, you're playing the same character."

He recalled that he and Kurt would have video calls working together on the character.

Related: How Are Kate Hudson and Wyatt Russell Related?

Kurt Russell as older Lee Shaw

Kurt Russell, a lifelong Godzilla fan, plays Lee Shaw decades later. He revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live that he loved working with Wyatt, explaining that most projects presented to them both were father-son themed and that they preferred the challenge of playing the same character in different periods.

He joked of filming with Godzilla, "He's hard to work with. He never hits his marks, and he never seems to care!"

Related: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn on The Secret to Their Nearly Four-Decade Romance

Anders Holm as young Bill Randa

Anders Holm of Workaholics stars as a young Bill Randa, a key figure in Godzilla lore.

John Goodman as Bill Randa

John Goodman reprises his role as Bill Randa from Kong: Skull Island. Apple TV+ released a snippet of Goodman in the series.

Elisa Lasowski as Duvall

Mari Yamamoto as Keiko

Ren Watabe as Kentaro

Kiersey Clemons as May

Anna Sawai as Cate

Joe Tippett as Tim

Related: Everything to Know About Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Is Monarch part of MonsterVerse?

It is! Monarch: Legacy of Monsters takes place after the events of Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla (2014). Some parts of the show take place in the 1950s, while the rest take place in the 2010s.

What is the new Monarch movie about Godzilla?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a TV show, not a movie. Its events follow the revelation that monsters exist—and that those monsters leveled San Francisco—in the 2014 film Godzilla. Parts of the film also take place in the 1950s.

Related: All About Godzilla Star Millie Bobby Brown's Next Movie

How many episodes is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is 10 episodes long.

How can I watch Monarch: Legacy?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is exclusive to Apple TV+.

Is Monarch a sequel to Godzilla?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters follows the events of Godzilla (2014) and also precedes them with some scenes taking place in the 1950s.

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Why is Kong not called King Kong in the MonsterVerse?

Good question! Simply, Kong technically hasn't earned the title yet in the MonsterVerse. For Godzilla to earn the King of the Monsters title, he actually had to unseat and defeat Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. In Godzilla vs. Kong, Kong didn't defeat Godzilla, but Mechagodzilla. It remains to be seen if that's earned him royal status with the rest of the creatures of Hollow Earth.

Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in the same universe?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is in the same universe as the 2014 Godzilla.

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Is there a Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer?

In the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer, we see more of the destruction on San Francisco, as well as new characters finding photographs and files from Monarch, leading them to investigate the organization, discovering secrets that span three generations.

A previous teaser trailer showed Lee Shaw looking back at footage of his past, as well as of Bill Randa and the destruction of San Francisco following Godzilla's 2014 emergence.

Next, Everything to Know About Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire