It’s a good time to be a MonsterVerse fan, as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hit the 2024 release schedule a few weeks back and has prompted enthusiasts of the Titans to get “Continue The MonsterVerse” trending. However, 2023 was also a big year for the franchise, as it made its first steps into the TV realm: first with the animated series Skull Island, which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription, and then the live-action series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which Apple TV+ subscribers can access. Well, not only has the latter show been renewed for Season 2, there’s an extra bit of great news for MonsterVerse fans that’s been announced.
Along with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returning for another round of episodes on Apple TV+ that will continue being executive produced by showrunners and co-creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction, the streaming platform has also formed a new multi-series deal with Legendary Entertainment, the production company behind the MonsterVerse. This deal encompasses Monarch Season 2, as well as “multiple spinoff series based on the franchise.” So if you’re looking to enjoy more live-action MonsterVerse content exclusive to the small screen, Apple TV+ is where you’ll want to be.
So while it remains to be seen if another MonsterVerse movie will follow after Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (though director Adam Wingard has teased plans for a trilogy), at least those of you who enjoy this franchise can take comfort knowing that Apple TV+ will be expanding this franchise in the coming years. Now, of course, we can begin to speculate on two things: first, where will Monarch Season 2 take viewers, and two, what MonsterVerse spinoff shows will be greenlit?
The first item is a little easier to predict, as the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 1 ending saw Keiko, Cate and May resurfacing from Axis Mundi and ending up at the Apex Cybernetics research station on Skull Island, and Kong was seen rampaging nearby. Because time passes differently in this realm between our world on Hollow Earth, it was 2017 when the women came back, meaning Cate and May had been gone for two years, and Keiko was finally back on Earth for the first time since the late 1950s. So expect this show to continue exploring the time period between Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and perhaps explore how Skull Island became uninhabitable. Unfortunately, Season 2 won’t feature more of Kurt Russell, as his character, Lee Shaw, sacrificed his life so that Keiko, Cate and May could escape.
As for these other MonsterVerse spinoffs, well, it seems like the sky’s the limit with them. Perhaps one will be directly tied to Monarch, but I’m more hopeful that other corners of the MonserVerse are fleshed out instead and spotlight new human characters who cross paths with these giant monsters. Plus, given how many years pass between these movies, these other shows don’t have to be set in the same time period as Monarch. We could easily jump forward to between King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong, or Godzilla vs. Kong and The New Empire, or even tell a story somewhere in the decades between Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla.
In any case, we’ll keep you apprised on the biggest news concerning Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 and the spinoff shows that end up being made. Meanwhile, see what shows are currently airing or will arrive soon with our 2024 TV schedule.
