MOVIE NEWS – Apple TV has officially pushed the Monsterverse into another phase: while the theatrical side keeps rolling, a brand-new live-action spin-off is on the way, built around a fan-favorite character. And with 2014’s Godzilla also landing on Netflix in December 2025, kaiju momentum is suddenly everywhere at once.

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The Monsterverse’s TV lineup is getting bigger. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is already set to return for Season 2, and it premieres on Apple TV on February 27, 2026, but that’s not the only Titan series coming. Apple TV announced that Wyatt Russell will star in and executive-produce a spin-off centered on Lee Shaw’s early years, confirming reports that circulated earlier this year. The new series was developed by Joby Harold, and Apple TV also said he will oversee the future of their Monsterverse slate.

In Season 1 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Wyatt Russell played the younger Lee Shaw, while his real-life father Kurt Russell portrayed the older version. Apple TV’s description of the spin-off says it follows Colonel Lee Shaw, an American operative who, in 1984, goes on a secret mission behind enemy lines to stop the Soviets from unleashing a horrifying new Titan – one big enough to destroy the U.S. and shift the balance of the Cold War.

In a statement, Joby Harold said he feels incredibly privileged to help expand such an iconic universe, praising Apple and Legendary as exemplary partners throughout the process. Jason Clodfelter, President and Managing Director at Legendary Television, added that Harold is a remarkable storyteller with a deep understanding of what makes the Monsterverse resonate with fans globally, and that bringing him and Safehouse Pictures into a broader partnership alongside Apple marks an exciting new era for the franchise.

The Monsterverse officially began in 2014 with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, which is set to stream on Netflix in December 2025. It continued with Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Kong: Skull Island in 2017 and Michael Dougherty’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019. Like most major pop-culture properties, those adventures were laying the groundwork for a major crossover, which arrived with Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the film was delayed and ultimately released in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day in 2021. Even with the box office hit that came with that strategy, it still paved the way for a sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Pairing Godzilla and Kong has proven more successful than many other shared universes, likely helped by the franchise moving one installment at a time.

The next theatrical entry will be Godzilla x Kong: Supernova from director Grant Sputore, currently expected in 2027. Between Supernova, Monarch Season 2, and the Lee Shaw spin-off, no other live-action plans have been announced. On the animated side, Netflix launched Skull Island in 2023, and while it hasn’t been officially renewed, fans received the comic series Return to Skull Island earlier this year, and Godzilla has been showing up across a number of comic books in recent years.

Forrás: MovieWeb