Apple TV has revealed that its MonsterVerse TV series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, will return to our screens with Season 2 on February 27, 2026. With that news comes a teaser trailer, revealing that Kurt Russell is back as Lee Shaw as the spotlight moves from Godzilla to Skull Island and King Kong.
It makes sense for Monarch to focus on Kong, given how important he is to this franchise (the massive simian largely overshadowed the King of the Monsters as the main star of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire). However, the show's main threat will seemingly be a massive undersea creature.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 1 ended on a big cliffhanger when Shaw stayed behind to fix a malfunction in a portal that could return his crew to Earth. While it seemed he didn't make it after falling off the Monarch ship and being sucked into the Hollow Earth, it's clear now that he's lived to fight another day.
"Season 2 will pick up with the fate of Monarch — and the world — hanging in the balance," reads the official Monarch: Legacy of Monsters synopsis. "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," it concludes.
While Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is largely standalone, the MonsterVerse will continue in 2027 with the release of Godzilla x Kong: Supernova in theaters. Plot details are being kept under wraps, and we're not anticipating it being closely tied to the Apple TV series in any way.
Still, it's assembled an impressive cast that includes Kaitlyn Dever, Dan Stevens, Jack O'Connell, Matthew Modine, Delroy Lindo, Alycia Debnam-Carey, and Sam Neill.
From Legendary Television, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is executive produced by Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, alongside Chris Black, Jen Roskind, Matt Shakman, Andrew Colville and Lawrence Trilling, who also directs four episodes, as well as Andrew Colville, who writes two episodes and serves as executive producer.
Black serves as the showrunner for Season 2. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2's cast includes Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm. The series will run for 10 episodes, and the premiere will be followed by one episode every Friday until May 1, 2026.