| Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Genre |
|
| Created by |
|
| Based on | Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd. |
| Developed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Leopold Ross |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography |
|
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 41–50 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Apple TV+ |
| Release | November 17, 2023 – present |
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an American monster television series created by Chris Black and Matt Fraction.[1] Based on Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the sixth installment and the second television series in the MonsterVerse franchise. Following the events of Godzilla (2014), the ten-episode series[2] follows members of the Monarch organization as they encounter Godzilla and other monsters called Titans, across a half century.
The series stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski, alongside Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell in the shared role of Lee Shaw. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered on Apple TV+ on November 17, 2023, to positive critical reviews.
Premise[edit]
In 2015, one year after the re-emergence of Godzilla,[a] half-siblings Cate and Kentaro Randa investigate their missing father Hiroshi's connection to Monarch, the covert organization monitoring giant monsters known as Titans. Two generations earlier, Bill Randa and Keiko Miura are scientists involved with the early development of Monarch. Former Army officer Lee Shaw becomes a close ally to the Randa family across both time periods.
Cast[edit]
Main[edit]
- Anna Sawai as Cate Randa: A San Francisco schoolteacher coping with PTSD whose search for her missing father leads her to uncover his involvement with Monarch.[3]
- Kiersey Clemons as May: A former employee of Applied Experimental Technologies (later Apex Cybernetics) who later escaped to Japan under the alias 'May' after discovering that her company was using her code for nefarious means.[3]
- Ren Watabe as Kentaro: An artist and Cate's half-brother who joins her on a journey to find their mysterious father.[3]
- Mari Yamamoto as Keiko: A scientist who investigates monsters with Lee Shaw and Bill Randa in the 1950s.[4]
- Anders Holm as Bill Randa: A cryptozoologist who becomes a leading researcher for Monarch.[5]
- John Goodman as an older Bill Randa, reprising his role from Kong: Skull Island (2017)[6]
- Joe Tippett as Tim: An overzealous Monarch office worker who goes into the field to track down the organization's lost documents.[3]
- Wyatt and Kurt Russell as Lee Shaw: a former U.S. Army colonel who joins Keiko and Bill in their investigations of monsters and subsequently becomes involved with Monarch. Kurt portrays the older version of Shaw, encountered by Cate and Kentaro, while Wyatt plays the younger version, responsible for founding Monarch.
- Elisa Lasowski as Duvall: Sandra Brody's[a] sister and a skilled Monarch operative partnered with Tim.[3]
Recurring[edit]
- Takehiro Hira as Hiroshi Randa, Keiko's son, Bill's stepson, and Cate and Kentaro's father.[9]
- Qyoko Kudo as Emiko Randa, Kentaro's mother
- Christopher Heyerdahl as General Puckett, Shaw's superior officer[10]
- Mirelly Taylor as Natalia Verdugo, the deputy director of Monarch
Guest[edit]
- Tamlyn Tomita as Caroline Randa, Cate's mother
- Bruce Baek as Du-Ho, Shaw’s old friend and an ally
- Jess Salgueiro as Dr. Barnes, a Monarch researcher
- Dominique Tipper as Brenda Holland, an executive at Applied Experimental Technologies
- Morgan Dudley as Lyra Mateo, May’s sister
