Wyatt Russell Set to Lead New MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS Spinoff, Which Is a Prequel to the Prequel
Apple TV is expanding the MonsterVerse once again, and this time they are diving even deeper into the past. According to Nexus Point News, the streamer has officially given the green light to a new and currently untitled prequel to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
The project brings back Wyatt Russell as the young Lee Shaw, a role he shares with his father Kurt Russell in the main series, and places him front and center for another chapter in Monarch history.
The report states that the new series will be set during the Cold War era. As the outlet explains, "The series will be set during the Cold War and grapple with tensions between the United States and Russia in a world of monsters."
The series will deliver a cool blend of political paranoia and Titan scale danger, which feels like fertile ground for Monarch storytelling.
Joby Harold, known for Obi-Wan Kenobi, will be the showrunner. He will also executive produce alongside his wife and producing partner Tory Tunnell through their Safehouse Pictures banner.
Russell is not only returning as Shaw, he is also joining the project as an executive producer. Production is scheduled to begin in Prague next summer, so more details should arrive sooner rather than later.
Clearly the streamer sees space to explore more of his history and how Shaw became the man audiences met in the main series. It also raises some fun questions about how this additional prequel will weave into the MonsterVerse timeline and expand the evolving mythology that began with Godzilla in 2014.
Since then, the franchise has grown with Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and the upcoming Godzilla x Kong: Supernova.
This news arrives shortly after Apple TV dropped the first trailer for Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The official synopsis lays out some big challenges ahead. It reads, "will pick up with the fate of Monarch and the world hanging in the balance.
“The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong’s Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea. The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe, all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon."
Season 2 will feature a returning ensemble that includes Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm. The season will run for ten episodes, with new installments arriving every Friday following the premiere until May 1, 2026.
With a second season on the way and another prequel gearing up for production, the MonsterVerse continues to grow in ways that keep longtime fans guessing.
Seeing Russell dig deeper into Lee Shaw should be exciting for fans of the franchise, especially with a Cold War setting that lets the franchise explore an era packed with tension and possibilities.