After delivering four movies to the masses between 2014 and 2021, the MonsterVerse franchise is expanding beyond the cinematic realm. Movie lovers needn’t worry though, as Godzilla vs. Kong 2 is slated for a spring 2024 release. However, along with the animated Skull Island series that was announced for Netflix, there’s also the live-action series titled Godzilla and the Titans that’s in development for Apple TV+ subscribers. WandaVision’s Matt Shakman is involved with the latter project, and he’s shared just how much Godzilla and the Titans will tie into the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel.
In May 2022, five months after the then-untitled MonsterVerse series was greenlit by Apple TV+, Matt Shakman was announced to be directing the first two episodes, as well as executive produce. While speaking with Collider about his new TV show The Consultant (which can be watched with an Amazon Prime Video subscription), Shakman was asked how much communication there’s been the Godzilla and the Titans and Godzilla vs. Kong 2 teams, and he responded:
There is some overlap, though we were not heavily involved in talking about it with Adam Wingard and his team. Legendary is the studio for our show, as well as for the films, and so they sort of sit at the juncture there between the two, and they have a mythology department there which is wonderful. So they weigh in on how things might overlap, how certain creatures need to stay on one side or the other, and so there is a lot of conversation about it. But in terms of how closely the narratives overlap, it's not as involved to say, an MCU kind of Disney+ film crossover. It's less organized.
Although Legendary Pictures is the production company behind the MonsterVerse, distribution-wise, Godzilla vs. Kong 2 is housed at Warner Bros, whereas Godzilla and the Titans, as already mentioned, was set up with the folks at Apple rather than developed as an HBO Max show. So as Matt Shakman (who’s also working on the Fantastic Four reboot), explained, Legendary is making sure that the two projects are properly informed about what can and cannot be done, and obviously these stories are set within the same universe. That being said, Godzilla and the Titans and Godzilla vs. Kong 2 won’t be as tightly connected as something like WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness over in the MCU; you’ll be able to enjoy one without having seen the other.
Godzilla and the Titans takes place after the battle between the towering reptile and the MUTOs that devastated San Francisco in 2014’s Godzilla. The show will follow a family uncovering its buried secrets and a legacy that links them to Monarch, the scientific organization that studies the Titans. Godzilla and the Titans’ cast includes Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Kiersey Clemons, Anna Sawai, Josh Collins, Ren Wattage, Joe Tippett, Elisa Lasowski, Mari Yamamoto and Anders Holm. Chris Black and Matt Fraction created the series.
Meanwhile, Godzilla vs. Kong 2 will see the two title beasts crossing paths yet again, but this time, they’ll combat an undiscovered threat that’s been hidden within our world. The sequel will also continue exploring the history of the Titans and the mythic battle that led to the rise of these monsters and tied them with humanity. Along with Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle reprising their respective roles, Godzilla vs. Kong 2’s cast includes Dan Stevens, Fala Chen, Alex Ferns and Rachel House. Adam Wingard resumed his directorial duties for the upcoming movie, and Terry Rossio, Jeremy Slater and Simon Barrett wrote the script.
There’s no timetable yet on when Godzilla and the Titans will premiere on Apple TV+, but Godzilla vs. Kong 2 will rampage into theaters on March 15, 2024. If you’d like to catch up on the MonsterVerse content that’s been released so far, an HBO Max subscription will come in handy.
