Apple TV orders Monarch: Legacy of Monsters prequel

Apple TV has greenlit a prequel drama to its Monarch: Legacy of Monsters show, marking the latest expansion of Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse.

The untitled show will star Wyatt Russell reprising his role as Colonel Lee Shaw, an American operative who in 1984 went on a secret mission behind enemy lines in an attempt to stop the Soviets during the Cold War.

Joby Harold is showrunner and will also oversee Legendary’s entire Monsterverse franchise for Apple TV under a new overall deal with the studio.

Russell will exec produce along with Harold and Tory Tunnell for Safehouse Pictures, while Chris Black, Kyle Bradstreet, Alex Boden, Max Borenstein, Andy Goddard are also attached.

Kei Banno, Brian Rogers, and Kenji Okuhira are producing, with Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive producing on behalf of Toho Co., which owns rights to the Godzilla character.

Morgan Wandell, head of international development for Apple TV, said: “With Joby at the helm, and alongside our terrific partners at Legendary, this new spinoff will kick off an epic Monsterverse expansion that brings audiences even closer to their favourite Titans along with fantastic character-driven storytelling.

Harold added: “Apple and Legendary have been exemplary partners throughout this process, and we will continue to bring these Titans of cinematic history to audiences with the reverence they deserve.”

The upcoming untitled spin-off will join Apple’s growing slate of Legendary Entertainment’s Monsterverse, which already includes Monarch: Legacy of Monsters which is returning for a second run on 27 February.

The Monsterverse explores humanity’s battle to survive against an array of creatures from myths and legends, beginning with the 2014 film Godzilla.

Other films include Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong, along with most recent release Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. A sequel to the latter, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, is due to release in 2027.