Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an American monster television series created by Chris Black and Matt Fraction and produced by Legendary Television. Based on Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the sixth installment and second television series in the Monsterverse franchise. Following the events of Godzilla (2014), the series follows members of the Monarch organization as they encounter Godzilla and other monsters called Titans, across a half century.

The series stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski, alongside Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell in the shared role of Lee Shaw. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023, to positive reviews. In April 2024, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on February 27, 2026.

Premise

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

In 2015, one year after the re-emergence of Godzilla, half-siblings Cate and Kentaro Randa investigate their missing father Hiroshi's connection to Monarch, the covert organization monitoring giant monsters known as Titans or MUTOs ("Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms"). Two generations earlier, Bill Randa and Keiko Miura are scientists involved with the early development of Monarch. Former Army officer Lee Shaw becomes a close ally to the Randa family across both time periods.

Cast and characters

Main

• Anna Sawai as Cate Randa: A San Francisco schoolteacher coping with PTSD whose search for her missing father leads her to uncover his involvement with Monarch. • Kiersey Clemons as May Olowe-Hewitt: A former employee of Applied Experimental Technologies (later Apex Cybernetics) who fled to Japan under an alias after discovering that her company was using her code for nefarious purposes. Her real name is later revealed as Corah Mateo. • Ren Watabe as Kentaro Randa: An artist and Cate's half-brother who joins her on a journey to find their mysterious father. • Mari Yamamoto as Keiko Miura: A scientist who investigates monsters with Lee Shaw and Bill Randa in the 1950s. • Anders Holm as Bill Randa: A cryptozoologist who becomes a leading researcher for Monarch. • John Goodman as an older Bill Randa (guest season 1), reprising his role from Kong: Skull Island (2017). • Joe Tippett as Tim: An overzealous Monarch office worker who goes into the field to track down the organization's lost documents. • Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell as Lee Shaw: A former U.S. Army colonel who joins Keiko and Bill in their investigations of monsters and subsequently becomes involved with Monarch. Kurt portrays the older version of Shaw, encountered by Cate and Kentaro, while Wyatt plays the younger version, responsible for founding Monarch. • Elisa Lasowski as Michelle Duvall (season 1): The sister of the late Sandra Brody and a skilled Monarch operative partnered with Tim.

Recurring

• Takehiro Hira as Hiroshi Randa: Keiko's son, Bill's stepson, and Cate and Kentaro's father. • Qyoko Kudo as Emiko Randa (season 1; guest season 2): Kentaro's mother. • Christopher Heyerdahl as General Puckett (season 1): Shaw's superior officer. • Mirelly Taylor as Natalia Verdugo (season 1; guest season 2): The deputy director of Monarch. • Dominique Tipper as Brenda Holland (season 2; guest season 1): An executive at Applied Experimental Technologies (later Apex Cybernetics). • Amber Midthunder as Isabel (season 2): A businesswoman.

Guest

• Tamlyn Tomita as Caroline Randa: Cate's mother. • Bruce Baek as Du-Ho (season 1): Shaw's old friend and ally. • Jess Salgueiro as Dr. Barnes (season 1): A researcher at Monarch. • Charlie Hewson as James: Caroline's colleague. • Courtney Dietz as Dani (season 1): Cate's girlfriend. • Leo Ashizawa as Dr. Suzuki (season 1): A nuclear scientist. • Morgan Dudley as Lyra Mateo (season 1): May's sister. • Matthew MacCaull as Lieutenant Hatch (season 1): A high-ranking soldier serving under Puckett. • Augusto Aguilera as Tomás (season 2): The leader of a titan-worshipping cult on the island of Santa Soledad. • Camilo Jiménez Varón as Augustín (season 2): A fanatical member of Tomás' cult. • Camila Ponte Alvarez as Lucía (season 2): A sympathetic member of Tomás' cult. • Curtiss Cook as Reddick Barris (season 2): The director of Monarch. • Cliff Curtis as Jason Trissop (season 2): The head of Apex Cybernetics' Special Projects division. • Anna McGahan as Alex (season 2): Cate's friend and lover.

Episodes

Season 1 (2023–24)

<table><thead><tr><th>No. overall</th><th>No. in season</th><th>Title</th><th>Directed by</th><th>Written by</th><th>Original release date</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>"Aftermath"</td><td>Matt Shakman</td><td>Chris Black</td><td>November 17, 2023 (2023-11-17)</td></tr><tr><td>In 1973, Monarch researcher Bill Randa is pursued by a Mother Longlegs spider during his expedition to Skull Island. When the spider corners him, he throws a waterproof case of his files into the ocean. However, he survives when the spider is attacked and dragged into the water by a Mantleclaw, while the case floats out to sea. In 2013, the case is found by a Japanese fishing boat. In 2014, following Godzilla's battle with the MUTOs in San Francisco, schoolteacher Cate Randa reunites with her estranged father, Hiroshi, who then leaves without elaboration. He later disappears in Alaska and is presumed dead. In 2015, Cate travels to Tokyo to settle Hiroshi's affairs, but discovers that he had a second wife, Emiko, and a son, Kentaro, in Japan. Kentaro leads Cate to Hiroshi's office, where she discovers a safe containing files belonging to Bill, who was Hiroshi's adoptive father. Seeking answers about Monarch's presence in San Francisco and Hiroshi's connection to them, Cate and Kentaro recruit Kentaro's ex-girlfriend May Olowe-Hewitt to decode the files. Monarch employee Tim is notified of their activity, and reports it to his superiors. In 1959, Bill is on a research trip to an abandoned power plant in Kazakhstan with fellow Monarch officials Dr. Keiko Miura (who is also Bill's wife) and Col. Leland "Lee" Shaw. They discover that while the forest around the plant is radioactive, the radiation levels drop to zero at the plant itself, and hollow caverns exist in the bedrock beneath it. Venturing inside, they discover eggs belonging to insectoid Endoswarmers. Keiko and Shaw rappel down to collect genetic material from the eggs, but the Endoswarmer larvae hatch and drag Keiko into a deep pit.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>"Departure"</td><td>Matt Shakman</td><td>Chris Black</td><td>November 17, 2023 (2023-11-17)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Kentaro discovers Monarch files in Hiroshi's office indicating that Shaw, his honorary great-uncle, moved to an assisted living facility in Japan. Tim and Monarch field operative Michelle Duvall track down Cate, Kentaro, and May in an attempt to find the decoded files, but they escape. Cate, Kentaro, and May go on the run and find Shaw, who reveals that Monarch is using the facility to keep him under house arrest. He convinces them to escape from the facility and follow Hiroshi to his last known location in Alaska. In 1952, Shaw is assigned as Keiko's escort on an expedition following unusual radiation in the Philippines. They meet Bill in the jungle, who claims to be following folk tales of a fire-breathing dragon. Keiko recruits Bill against a skeptical Shaw's advice, and Shaw departs. Continuing alone, Keiko and Bill discover the wreckage of the USS Lawton, a Navy ship that sank in 1943 from which Bill was the sole survivor. They discover corpses in the ship and are attacked by an Ion Dragon. Having seen the Ion Dragon's radiation-based fire, Shaw returns to the ship and rescues them.</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>"Secrets and Lies"</td><td>Julian Holmes</td><td>Andrew Colville</td><td>November 22, 2023 (2023-11-22)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Cate, Kentaro, May, and Shaw escape Japan on a ferry bound for Pohang, Korea. In Pohang, they are accosted by border guards before one of them, Du-Ho, reveals himself as Shaw's old friend. Du-Ho transports them to Alaska by plane; on the way, May infers from Bill's files that Hiroshi was likely following a list of coordinates identified by Monarch. In Alaska, they find the wreckage of Hiroshi's plane as well as an encampment suggesting his survival. Du-Ho realizes that Hiroshi's plane was attacked after landing; a Frost Vark kills him and destroys his plane. In 1954, Shaw has joined Monarch in a command position. He, Bill, and Keiko present a cast of Godzilla's footprint to Shaw's superior officer, Gen. Puckett, to secure uranium for luring Godzilla out of hiding. In Bikini Atoll, Bill and Keiko are horrified to discover that Puckett has delivered the uranium in a nuclear bomb to kill Godzilla under the guise of the Castle Bravo test. As Godzilla surfaces, Keiko attempts to halt the detonation, but Shaw restrains her and the bomb is detonated. In the aftermath, Shaw is given a blank check by Puckett for Monarch to research the Titans.</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>"Parallels and Interiors"</td><td>Julian Holmes</td><td>Milla Bell-Hart</td><td>December 1, 2023 (2023-12-01)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, the Frost Vark's emergence is detected by Monarch. Cate, Kentaro, May, and Shaw manage to escape from the Frost Vark, but May falls into a pool of water and quickly develops hypothermia as they try to find shelter. Kentaro splits off from the rest of the group and finds a building that he saw from the plane, which turns out to be an old radio station that had previously been repaired by Hiroshi. Having learned that the Frost Vark feeds on heat energy, Cate, May and Shaw create a bonfire to distract it, long enough for a helicopter that Kentaro contacted to arrive and rescue them. The group are taken to a Monarch outpost, where they are greeted by Tim and Duvall. In 2013, Kentaro meets May while waiting for his first art show at a prestigious gallery. He chooses to spend the evening with her instead of preparing for the show, and they bond. Kentaro ultimately decides to present his art before he is ready to do so, out of a desire to make his father proud. The night of the gallery is the last time he sees Hiroshi before the latter's disappearance.</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>"The Way Out"</td><td>Mairzee Almas</td><td>Amanda Overton</td><td>December 8, 2023 (2023-12-08)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Monarch deputy director Natalia Verdugo is frustrated to learn that Shaw has kept Cate, Kentaro, and May in the dark about Hiroshi's activities in Alaska. Duvall suggests releasing the three to track their movements. After returning to San Francisco, Cate convinces her mother, Caroline, and Caroline's colleague James to smuggle them towards Hiroshi's office in a restricted zone of the city's ruins. Evading military patrols and dealing with Cate's PTSD, they eventually reach Hiroshi's office. While they fail to find further hidden files, Kentaro concludes from Hiroshi's maps that he likely headed to Africa in search of Titans. May secretly contacts Duvall, asking to go home in exchange for her cooperation. In 2014, two days before Godzilla's emergence, Cate is in a relationship with fellow teacher Dani, who discusses moving in together. Unknown to Dani, Cate cheats on her with another woman named Evin. On G-Day, a guilt-ridden Cate leaves Dani behind to chaperone a bus of children across the Golden Gate Bridge. Most of the children are killed when Godzilla crashes through the bridge during his clash with the military.</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>"Terrifying Miracles"</td><td>Mairzee Almas</td><td>Karl Greenfeld</td><td>December 15, 2023 (2023-12-15)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Duvall breaks Shaw out of captivity, revealing that she joined Monarch after her sister died in the Janjira power plant disaster but has become disillusioned. They take Cate, Kentaro, and May to the Algerian Sahara, where they find Hiroshi using a Titan lure. He warns them to escape before fleeing. Tim arrives with a team of Monarch agents, but Godzilla emerges, having been sleeping underground, and causes their helicopter to crash. Shaw and Duvall reveal their intent to follow and help Godzilla, but Cate, Kentaro, and May leave to find Hiroshi. Cate and Kentaro are angered when May reveals that she allowed Monarch to track them. In 1955, Shaw and Keiko attend a defense industry ball, where they bond. Bill recalls them to Monarch headquarters. They learn that Dr. Suzuki, a Japanese scientist, has captured unusual isotopic signatures and used them to design a Titan lure. As Bill and Keiko travel to meet Suzuki, Shaw reluctantly stays behind to present a budget proposal, but he eventually abandons the meeting and joins them in Japan due to his feelings for Keiko. The lure attracts Godzilla, who destroys it. When Shaw, Keiko and Bill return to the United States to inform Puckett of Godzilla's survival, they learn that he has transferred Monarch's command due to Shaw's absence.</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>"Will the Real May Please Stand Up?"</td><td>Hiromi Kamata</td><td>Mariko Tamaki</td><td>December 22, 2023 (2023-12-22)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, May is kidnapped at the airport in Tindouf, Algeria by her former employer, Brenda Holland of Applied Experimental Technologies, who gives her the choice of spying on Monarch or being prosecuted. Cate accosts Tim when he arrives at the airport and asks him to help locate May. Tim, Cate, and Kentaro find May's family in Tacoma, Washington and learn about her past from her sister, Lyra Mateo. They trigger a false Titan alert to rescue May from AET, but she chooses to stay behind and not spy on Monarch. Verdugo is convinced by Cate to secure May's release in exchange for help understanding Shaw's plans, and by Tim to take Monarch public to explain the alert. After reaching an agreement with Monarch, AET rebrands to Apex Cybernetics. Shaw and Duvall take over the Alaskan Monarch outpost and use explosives to seal a tunnel to the Hollow Earth. In 2012, May – then known as Corah Mateo – is recruited by AET. Dissatisfied with the secrecy around her work, she hacks into AET's systems and discovers that they are secretly conducting cybernetic animal experimentation. Horrified, she destroys their research data and flees to Japan under a false identity.</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>"Birthright"</td><td>Hiromi Kamata</td><td>Al Letson</td><td>December 29, 2023 (2023-12-29)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Shaw and Duvall return to the Kazakh power plant where Keiko was lost in 1959, now enclosed in a containment facility. Cate, Kentaro, May, and Tim infer that Shaw is trying to rectify the past. Verdugo sends them after Shaw with a small team. Inside, Shaw and Duvall confront the team. Speaking with Cate alone, Shaw explains that he intends to help Godzilla maintain order by separating the Hollow Earth from the surface world. As Shaw primes explosive charges around a tunnel to the Hollow Earth inside the pit, an adult Endoswarmer emerges. May, Cate, Shaw, and the Endoswarmer fall back into the tunnel before its destruction. In 1955, Monarch's new head Lt. Cmdr. Hatch questions Shaw, Keiko, and Bill's evidence of the Titans' existence. Bill assaults Hatch while defending Keiko from a racist remark. With Monarch's existence under jeopardy, Shaw convinces Keiko and Bill to compile their research. Bill realizes that Titans evade detection through the Hollow Earth. While sharing his findings with Keiko, he learns that she is a widow raising Hiroshi alone. They begin to develop a relationship, and Bill offers to adopt Hiroshi. As a last resort, Shaw reveals Godzilla's survival while presenting Keiko and Bill's findings to Puckett.</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>"Axis Mundi"</td><td>Andy Goddard</td><td>Matt Fraction</td><td>January 5, 2024 (2024-01-05)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Monarch rescues Kentaro and Tim. Verdugo informs a despondent Kentaro of Cate, May, and Shaw's losses. Kentaro's mother, Emiko, inspires him to continue searching. When Hiroshi returns to his office, Kentaro confronts him. Meanwhile, Shaw and May awaken in an intermediate realm between the surface and the Hollow Earth, known as Axis Mundi, and search for Cate. Elsewhere, Cate is attacked by a Bramble Boar, but is rescued by an unaged Keiko. In 1962, Shaw volunteers to lead Operation Hourglass, an expedition into the Hollow Earth. Suzuki's Titan lure is used to induce a partial Titan emergence and stabilize a Hollow Earth tunnel in Kansas. During the launch, the tunnel destabilizes and implodes, and Shaw’s team is lost. Monarch's funding is cut due to this incident. Meanwhile, an Ion Dragon kills Shaw's team in Axis Mundi, before he is sucked through another tunnel that leads back to the surface. In 1982, Shaw awakens in a Monarch medical facility in Japan. Holding a nurse — Emiko — hostage and demanding to see Bill, Shaw is met by an adult Hiroshi, who reveals that Bill has died and that Monarch intends to abandon their mission and leave the Titans undisturbed. Shaw is placed under house arrest after multiple escape attempts. Thirty-two years later, he sees the news of Godzilla fighting a MUTO in Hawaii.</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>10</td><td>"Beyond Logic"</td><td>Andy Goddard</td><td>Chris Black</td><td>January 12, 2024 (2024-01-12)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2015, Keiko explains to Cate that she found the equipment left behind by the Operation Hourglass team, and rigged their Titan lure to send a distress signal to the surface. They reunite with May and Shaw, but Keiko is devastated to learn that decades have passed on the surface, and that Bill died on his expedition to Skull Island. Tim leaves Monarch after clashing with Verdugo over her refusal to investigate Keiko's signal, and instead informs Kentaro and Hiroshi. As Shaw and Keiko reconnect the lure to Shaw's old launch vehicle, she reveals her intention to remain behind, but Cate persuades her otherwise. Shaw activates the vehicle, but inadvertently lures an Ion Dragon already present in Axis Mundi. Shaw exits the vehicle to reconnect a cable dislodged by the Dragon. Godzilla emerges through a tunnel and battles the Dragon, eventually throwing it back into the tunnel and activating the vehicle. As Keiko struggles to bring Shaw back into the vehicle, he sacrifices himself to allow their escape and is left behind. In 2017, at an Apex Cybernetics research station on Skull Island, Hiroshi successfully returns the vehicle to the surface; he, Kentaro, and Tim — now working with an Apex team led by Brenda — reunite with Keiko, Cate, and May. They evacuate as Kong approaches the station.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Season 2 (2026)

<table><thead><tr><th>No. overall</th><th>No. in season</th><th>Title</th><th>Directed by</th><th>Written by</th><th>Original release date</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>11</td><td>1</td><td>"Cause and Effect"</td><td>Lawrence Trilling</td><td>Chris Black</td><td>February 27, 2026 (2026-02-27)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2017, Kong attacks the Apex station on Skull Island, forcing everyone to evacuate to Monarch's Outpost 18, a large ship near the island. Brenda offers May a new job with Apex, but she declines. Verdugo refuses to try and retrieve Shaw while Kong is still behaving aggressively, but Keiko and Cate refuse to give up on him, and Cate convinces Kentaro, Hiroshi, and May to help her. The four of them secretly return to the island, encountering a sleeping Kong and several smaller creatures in the process, and reach the damaged station. Keiko recognizes several large crustaceans known as Scarabs in the surveillance footage of Kong's attack; she, Verdugo, and Tim fly back in to retrieve the others, but Cate refuses to leave and launches Shaw's old vehicle back down the tunnel to Axis Mundi. Shaw, who has survived, finds the vehicle and returns to the surface, but the energy surge awakens a tentacled Titan that was hibernating in Axis Mundi, as well as a swarm of the Scarabs. The new Titan surfaces on Skull Island, kills Verdugo, and is chased into the ocean by Kong. In 1957, Keiko, Shaw, and Bill travel to a remote village on the island of Santa Soledad in Chile, investigating rumors of a sea monster. They find one of the Scarabs displayed in the village bar, and are later led to a cave where they see ancient rock art of the tentacled Titan, which is worshipped by the locals as a god.</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>2</td><td>"Resonance"</td><td>Lawrence Trilling</td><td>Dan Dworkin</td><td>March 6, 2026 (2026-03-06)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2017, Shaw and Keiko both recognize the new Titan as the survivors from the island return to Outpost 18, unaware that one of the Scarabs has hitched a ride on their helicopter. Tim assumes command of Outpost 18, and they begin tracking the new Titan, which is now swimming across the Pacific. He also receives orders to arrest Shaw, but chooses not to do so yet. The new Titan reaches Indonesia and approaches the Strait of Malacca, endangering many civilian ships. Hiroshi attempts to change its course using a sonar-projecting drone, but the Titan destroys it. Cate, struggling with guilt over her role in the new Titan's emergence, is attacked by the Scarab; Kentaro and May save her, but the Scarab sends out a loud call that causes the Titan to change course and pursue Outpost 18. Shaw uses a Zodiac to carry the Scarab away from the ship and throws it into the ocean, drawing the Titan away from the others. In 1957, Bill uses the cave art on Santa Soledad to map out a possible migratory route for the new Titan. He and Shaw suggest leaving, but Keiko refuses to do so until she can finish studying the surrounding environment. They reluctantly agree, and Bill leaves to follow the map while Keiko and Shaw remain behind. Keiko tells Shaw about her first husband, Hiroshi's father, who died of cancer shortly after Hiroshi was born. The pair are invited to a nighttime festival in the local village, but the villagers are revealed to be a cult devoted to the new Titan, which they refer to as "Co-Cai". A swarm of Scarabs emerge from the cave and rush down into the village, just as the Titan emerges from the ocean.</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>3</td><td>"Secrets"</td><td>Hiromi Kamata</td><td>Kari Drake</td><td>March 13, 2026 (2026-03-13)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2017, Outpost 18 docks in Tokyo for engine repairs, and Cate decides to leave. Hiroshi, Keiko and Shaw devise a plan to lure the new Titan, dubbed "Titan X", away from population centers using a modified sonic version of Suzuki's Titan lure, but they are interrupted when a team from Apex, led by Jason Trissop, arrive and assume command of the outpost from Tim. Monarch's director, Reddick Barris, also orders Tim to take Shaw and Keiko into custody, but he allows them to leave with Hiroshi and Kentaro instead so they can carry out their plan, while also convincing May to go undercover at Apex and investigate their plans. Keiko learns the truth about Hiroshi's two marriages. Cate returns to San Francisco and reunites with Caroline, who is now married to James. She tries to return to normal, but struggles to cope with her guilt and trauma after the news of Titan X's emergence becomes public. May infiltrates Apex by accepting Brenda's job offer, but discovers that they have stolen Hiroshi's Titan lure. Hiroshi clashes with Keiko, and reveals that Bill sent him away to live with Keiko's family when he was a child. In 1957, Keiko and Shaw observe Titan X interacting with the Scarabs, and Keiko photographs it. The cultists confront them, wanting to protect their secret; Keiko and Shaw are both injured in the resulting fight, but manage to escape with the film and flee into the island's forest. While hiding from the cultists and tending to their wounds, they give in to their lingering feelings for each other and have a romantic encounter. Bill returns to the island the next day and rescues them, but Keiko struggles with guilt and later sends a letter to Shaw, expressing her feelings for him but regretting their affair and reaffirming her love for Bill. In 1962, Bill is raising Hiroshi alone after Shaw's disappearance, and finds Keiko's letter in Shaw's old files.</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>4</td><td>"Trespass"</td><td>Hiromi Kamata</td><td>Al Letson</td><td>March 20, 2026 (2026-03-20)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2017, Titan X awakens another swarm of Scarabs in American Samoa, which kill two surfers, and destroys a Monarch patrol boat. On Outpost 18, Trissop and Tim detect Titan X on Apex's new sonar tracking system, which indicates that it is heading towards San Francisco. Kentaro, Hiroshi, Keiko and Shaw meet up with May in Pensacola, Florida, where they plan to steal Hiroshi's Titan lure back from Apex. In San Francisco, an evacuation is declared, while Cate meets one of the students who she saved on G-Day. She has a change of heart, and decides to return to Monarch. Trissop's team leave Outpost 18 as Tim's team and the Pacific Fleet prepare to intercept Titan X, but the signal on Apex's tracking system turns out to be a whale. In Pensacola, the others infiltrate Apex's headquarters and discover that Apex have been smuggling creatures off of Skull Island, including Leafwings, Needlewalkers, and Vinestranglers. Brenda shows May that Apex have developed neural implants to modify animal behavior, which she demonstrates using a Leafwing, and explains that they want to use the same technology to pacify the Titans. Shaw and Kentaro release the Needlewalkers to cause a distraction, allowing Hiroshi and Keiko to find the lure, but it has been dismantled. Fortunately, they also discover that Apex have some of Bill's old files, including his map of Titan X's migratory route, which allows them to predict its next destination as Santa Soledad. May chooses to stay with Apex, but the others escape and reunite with Cate. However, Hiroshi finds Keiko's letter to Shaw in Bill's files. In the 1960s, after sending Hiroshi to stay with Keiko's family, Bill continues his research for Monarch. After his death in 1973, all of his files are put into storage. In 2015, some of the files, including the one containing Keiko's letter, are stolen by Apex operatives.</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>5</td><td>"Furusato"</td><td>Jeff F. King</td><td>Andrew Colville</td><td>March 27, 2026 (2026-03-27)</td></tr><tr><td>In 2017, Hiroshi argues with Keiko and Shaw after learning about their affair. Brenda, May and Trissop lead an Apex team to Santa Soledad, with Cate, Kentaro, Hiroshi, Keiko and Shaw in pursuit. The latter group hide out in Monarch's now-abandoned Outpost 27, which was set up on the island by Bill in 1968. Hiroshi and Keiko reconcile, each accepting responsibility for their past actions. Tim has directed Outpost 18 to Santa Soledad; on the way there, they encounter Titan X. Shaw and the Randas privately approach May, who believes that pacifying the Titans is worth the risk; however, Shaw theorizes that Apex actually intend to gain control over the Titans so they can use them as weapons. Titan X arrives and awakens the island's resident swarm of Scarabs, which injure Shaw. Its calls have a strange, hypnotic effect on Cate, and she is drawn down to the water's edge as it emerges. The Apex team use a drone to fire an upgraded neural implant into Titan X, but the implant merely causes pain and fails to control it. An enraged Titan X removes the implant by using the Scarabs to sever one of its own tentacles, and destroys the Apex team's camp before departing. Hiroshi is fatally wounded while saving Cate, and apologizes to her for his past mistakes, before dying in Keiko's arms as Tim and his team arrive. In 1990, Hiroshi calls a young Cate to help her fall asleep, while waiting in the hospital for Kentaro's birth. He and Emiko name Kentaro after Hiroshi's birth father. In 2014, Hiroshi is about to visit Emiko and Kentaro in Tokyo when he receives a call from Tim, who informs him that Bill's case of files from 1973 has been found in the ocean near Japan.</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>6</td><td>"Requiem"</td><td>Jeff F. King</td><td>Maria Melnik</td><td>April 3, 2026 (2026-04-03)</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>7</td><td>"String Theory"</td><td>Gandja Monteiro</td><td>Joe Pokaski</td><td>April 10, 2026 (2026-04-10)</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>8</td><td>"Separate Ways"</td><td>Gandja Monteiro</td><td>Mariko Tamaki</td><td>April 17, 2026 (2026-04-17)</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>9</td><td>"Ends of the Earth"</td><td>Lawrence Trilling</td><td>Tanner Hansinger</td><td>April 24, 2026 (2026-04-24)</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>10</td><td>"Where We Belong"</td><td>Lawrence Trilling</td><td>Teleplay by : Joe Pokaski Story by : Andrew Colville</td><td>May 1, 2026 (2026-05-01)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Production

Development

Following the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, discussions commenced on ways that the MonsterVerse could be expanded beyond feature films. Legendary proposed a live-action series, and among the potential investors, Apple TV+ expressed immediate interest, negotiated a deal, and green-lit the series in January 2022. It is a joint venture between Legendary Television, Safehouse Pictures, and Toho, although Warner Bros. still owns the rights for the MonsterVerse franchise alongside Legendary. Chris Black is creator and showrunner.

In May, Matt Shakman was hired to direct the first two episodes in addition to executive producing. In addition to Black and Matt Fraction, writers include Andrew Colville, Milla Bell-Hart, Amanda Overton, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Mariko Tamaki, and Al Letson. On April 11, 2024, Apple TV+ renewed the series for a second season, with several spinoffs in development.

Casting

In June 2022, Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski were cast. In July, Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell were cast, and Mari Yamamoto joined in August. In September, Anders Holm was cast and revealed the title. In September 2023, the teaser trailer revealed John Goodman to reprise his role from Kong: Skull Island (2017) as William "Bill" Randa.

Filming

In July 2022, it was revealed that principal photography had commenced in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Two weeks of filming occurred in Japan in August.

Filming for the second season was underway by July 31, 2024, and wrapped by February 20, 2025.

Music

In October 2023, Leopold Ross was confirmed as score composer. The soundtrack was released online by Milan Records on November 17, 2023, with the main titles track released on November 3 as a single.

Release

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023. The second season premiered on Apple TV on February 27, 2026.

Marketing

In August 2023, Apple released first look images, now officially titled Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The teaser and more images were released on September 8, 2023. The first trailer debuted at the 2023 New York Comic Con, and the official poster was revealed. In October 2023, a viral marketing website called "Monarch Unlocked" was launched with some Monarch computer private files.

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 87% based on 87 reviews. The site's critics consensus reads, "With performances by father–son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell that work a charm, Monarch adds a welcome wrinkle to the Godzilla legacy by honing its monstrous scope to a very human level." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Mike Hale of The New York Times commended the straightforward narrative and visual effects, and noted that Kurt Russell's presence gave it a "nostalgic charm". In Variety, Aramide Tinubu wrote that the series "will likely satisfy the most novice MonsterVerse explorer".

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico praised the performances of Kurt and Wyatt Russell, but he expressed dissatisfaction with the writing, describing the characters as "underdeveloped", the plot as lacking depth, and the dialogue as too lengthy.

The second season holds an 79% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus states, "Against all odds, Monarch continues to pack a striking gut-punch of action-drama by embracing its Legacy of Monsters' talent and leading with a cast of rich and complex characters." On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 67 out of 100 based on 11 critics, signifying "generally favorable".

Accolades

<table><thead><tr><th>Award</th><th>Date of ceremony</th><th>Category</th><th>Recipient(s)</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Visual Effects Society Awards</td><td>February 21, 2024</td><td>Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode</td><td>Sean Konrad, Jessica Smith, Jed Glassford, Khalid Almeerani, and Paul Benjamin</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Guild of Music Supervisors Awards</td><td>March 3, 2024</td><td>Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Series)</td><td>Deric Berberabe and Jordan Silverberg</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Critics' Choice Super Awards</td><td>April 4, 2024</td><td>Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie</td><td>Monarch: Legacy of Monsters</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie</td><td>Kurt Russell</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Leo Awards</td><td>July 6, 2024</td><td>Best Make-Up in a Dramatic Series</td><td>Patricia Murray, Dennis Liddiard, Bev Hoy, Mallory Greaves, Lisa Love, Teia Dumaresq, and Jan Ballard (for "Terrifying Miracles")</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Hairstyling in a Dramatic Series</td><td>Debra Wiebe, Lilia Afsahi, Tammy Lim, Yvette Stone, and Teresa Tso (for "Terrifying Miracles")</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Stunt Coordination in a Motion Picture or Dramatic Series</td><td>Jeff Aro (for "Departure")</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Stunt Performance in a Motion Picture or Dramatic Series</td><td>Maja Aro (for "Departure")</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Astra TV Awards</td><td>December 8, 2024</td><td>Best Streaming Drama Series</td><td>Monarch: Legacy of Monsters</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actor in a Streaming Drama Series</td><td>Kurt Russell</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Drama Series</td><td>Wyatt Russell</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series</td><td>John Goodman</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Saturn Awards</td><td>February 2, 2025</td><td>Best Adventure Television Series</td><td>Monarch: Legacy of Monsters</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actor in a Television Series</td><td>Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series</td><td>Anna Sawai</td><td>Nominated</td></tr></tbody></table>

Spin-off

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

On November 27, 2025, Apple TV reportedly greenlit a prequel series set during the Cold War with Wyatt Russell reprising his role as young Lee Shaw and serving as an executive producer. Joby Harold was reported to serve as showrunner and executive produce with his wife and producing partner Tory Tunnell through their production company Safehouse Pictures.