The Monsterverse was overdue for a reboot. Gareth Edwards planned to remedy that, with the approval of Toho Co., Ltd., the owners of the Godzilla franchise. Produced by Legendary Pictures, they began with Godzilla in 2014. The success of this franchise has quickly gained traction with Godzilla vs. KongThis allowed for even more exploration of the Monsterverse and led to the series being greenlit. Monarch: Legacy of MonstersMatt Shakman took the helm of this series, which expanded the Godzilla lore following the events of Edwards Godzilla. When Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV+ in 2023 and became an instant hit.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters developed a different look within the Monsterverse, focusing on characters, conspiracy, and a deep dive into the monsters that lurk among humans. The show was so successful that it was quickly renewed for a new season less than six months after its premiere. Several spin-offs are in development, and a continuation of Monarch will arrive around mid-2025. Matt Shekman brilliantly expanded this monster universe in the first season, leaving the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters to explore new ideas and unanswered questions.
Season 1 characters will return
What happened to Lee Shaw?
First season of Monarch: Gods and Monsters provides the story of the secret organization Monarch and the new secrets it holds. The show's narrative spans two timelines, overlapping with the character of Lee Shaw, played by Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell. When Keiko Randa, Bill Randa, and Lee Shaw tried to get more funding to explore potential new species, the U.S. military had a different plan. Instead of helping, they built a bomb and blew up Godzilla, causing a shift in emotions for the trio and a new plan: to leave the government a little in the dark about their research. They did, however, secure funding for the voyage of discovery that lay ahead and the Monarch organization was born.
Flash forward to 2015: Cate Randa, Kentaro Randa and May Olowe-Hewitt discover hidden documents belonging to Monarch, leading them down a rabbit hole of mysteries. Cate and Kentaro become an unlikely pair when they realize they are half-siblings. They also discover that not only was their father juggling two families, but he was also involved with Monarch. When they discover hidden documents belonging to their supposedly deceased father, they end up on a journey to find the same leads their father once followed. Through the trail of documents and their father's familiar pencil shavings, they eventually discover that he he's alive and well.
When the creators decided to make Monarch: Legacy of Monstersthey cast a real father and son duo, Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell, allowing for seamless jumps between the two timelines on the show. Additionally, John Goodman reprised his role from Kong: Skull Islandwho plays the future Bill Randa, while the past Randa is Anders Holm. Season 2 may include characters from other Monsterverse films. Michelle Duvall's character is Sandra Brody's sister in the film Godzillaleaving open the possibility for other members of the Brody family to appear on the show. Ken Wantabe reprised his role as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa in the Godzilla sequel Godzilla: King of the Monstersso it would be an obvious choice to put him in the show.
Any character introduced in the first season may return in the second season. Monarch: Legacy of Monstersgiven how their storylines end. There is much more to explore and tell about Monarch's past and why it has changed so rapidly since Shaw's founding. The cast of this latest timeline has only just begun to unravel secrets, discovering just how many monsters lurk in their world. Even as Shaw sacrifices himself to save the others, his return is inevitable. No body was found after Shaw's sacrificial act of diving into the blue vortex. Whether it's flashbacks to the old timeline or he survived the dive, Shaw will likely return in season 2.
There will be more screen time for monsters and new ones will arrive
Spin-offs are in the works to expand things further.
The first season featured many monsters, most notably Godzilla. Godzilla was the focus of several episodes in the first season. Several other Titans characters graced the season, terrorizing characters both old and new. The series starts from the idea that there are many other as-yet unknown massive, unidentified terrestrial organisms, or MUTOs, living among the people of Earth, despite Monarch's attempts to hide it.
In the old timeline of MonarchShaw created Monarch to learn more about these creatures. Keiko and Randa have sought to research how they can potentially live in harmony with MUTOs. From their past explorations and exploration of the most recent timeline, many MUTOs have been discovered, but it is clear that there are many more hidden in the world. Without a doubt, there is much more MOTU to come for season two.
King Kong was only teased at the end of the first season, which focused on the events of G-Day. Although Kong made a brief appearance in the first season, he is expected to have a more prominent role in the second season. Limited screen time in season one means more screen time in season two. Skull Island was only seen briefly in season one, leaving this as a major possibility for the setting in season two.
A fan-favorite Titan failed to honor Monarch yet. Mothra, one of Godzilla's greatest foes, has a lot of potential to pop up in season 2. An origin story about the creation of Mechagodzilla would also be a great addition to season 2. Godzilla has fought many villains in the past, so it's likely that there will be a Titan clash or two coming soon.
Season 2 is coming sooner than expected
The first season arrived a year after the green light
First season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters was packed with action, special effects, and a character-driven story. Its on-screen extravagance shows the effort that went into creating this multi-platform show. The show created flawless CGI scenes and epic Titans that take up an entire TV screen. This effort typically comes with the time it takes to make these scenes flawless. The first season originally began development in early 2022 and was released in late 2023. This was no easy feat for a ten-episode turnover.
Although 2025 seems far away, the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters it's coming very soon. The first season was such a success that rushing into a second season would sacrifice the quality that has been established. Quality over quantity is definitely what Matt Shekman aspires to in television. Filming for season two has officially begun, with a release date set for mid-2025.so if the new season follows the same trajectory as the first, it will be here in no time. When a show is as masterfully crafted as Monarchthe wait seems irrelevant.
With the never-ending lack of Godzilla content, there's a lot to consume until the release of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in 2025. Unrelated to Legendary Pictures' Monsterverse, Godzilla: Minus One he gave his best with an original story about the Titan of the same name. Godzilla X Kong hit theaters in March of this year, earning the title of Blockbuster for 2024. With its clear success, it has the potential to cross over with Monarch.
Morgan Wandell, Apple TV+'s head of international development, told Variety: “We couldn’t be more excited to offer viewers not only the chance to experience even more thrills in season two, but also to embark on new and epic journeys in the franchise as we expand Legendary’s Monsterverse.” The first season expanded the Monsterverse, but it was just the beginning. It laid the groundwork for the second season to have more fun in this constructed world, like the one that Batman begins made for The Dark Knight. Much like Titans season one and season two, the potential for season two is monstrous.