Summary:
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is both a sequel and a prequel to Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017).
- It is definitely a prequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong (2021).
The latest MonsterVerse series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, is now streaming on Apple TV+.
The show, set in 2015, chronicles the journey of two Randa siblings who discover their father’s involvement with the clandestine group Monarch.
While the events in the series mainly take place in the 2010s, the series spans over various decades. The show’s vast timespan establishes more about the Monarch’s and its work towards the Kaiju kind and humans.
Monarch’s vast timespan has left fans wondering if it is a prequel or a sequel to the other MonsterVerse films.
Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters A Sequel or a Prequel?
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is both a sequel and a prequel to Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017) as it covers several decades from 1952 to 2015. However, the series is set before the events of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and Godzilla Vs Kong (2021).
Shows and films set between two existing films within a franchise are known as interquels. Monarch can be aptly described as an interquel, as it is not set directly after a film or before one.
It takes place simultaneously during the events of the first two MonsterVerse films, while also has much of its action before a couple of films.
Monarch is heavily intertwined with the 2014 Godzilla film and also has connections to Kong: Skull Island (2017). Monarch episode 1 opens with the battle between Mother Longlegs and Mantleclaw.
This battle took place in 1973 during Kong: Skull Island. The series then shifts to 2013 for a short period of time. However, most of the events in the series take place in April 2015, after Godzilla’s fight with MUTO.
We see members of the Randa family and an older Lee Shaw take the lead in this time period. We also see some scenes in the 1950s featuring a younger Lee Shaw and Monarch researchers such as Keiko and William.
It is an interesting creative decision to set Monarch before Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island. During this time, the world was slowly getting to know about Kaiju, and most of them had yet to awaken.
Monarch explores the time when humanity had found out that Kaiju exists but was not ready for them to become an integral part of their life.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Timeline Explained
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is set after the events of Skull Island and Godzilla as per the original timeline in the show. But, it depicts events that occur before Skull Island in 1973 and before Godzilla in 2013.
If we follow the MonsterVerse timeline, Monarch fits into the picture as a canon series after the first two films. Here’s how the timeline looks like:
- Kong: Skull Island (2017) – Set in 1973
- Godzilla (2014) – Set in 2014
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023) – Follows two different timelines, one set partially before Skull Island and another set partially after Godzilla.
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) – Set in 2019
- Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) – Set in 2021
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) – Upcoming, timeline yet to be confirmed
Given that Monarch provides a build-up before the theatrical release of Godzilla x Kong, we can expect to see a short build-up to the film in the last couple of episodes.
It would also be exciting to get a short tease of Skar King, the dangerous villain who will fight Godzilla and Kong in Godzilla x Kong.
Are Godzilla and Kong present in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters?
Kong and Godzilla appear in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters through flashbacks and camera footage. Kong is seen in camera footage recorded during the events of Kong: Skull Island. Godzilla too appears in some flashbacks.
The show talks about Monarch’s discoveries about Godzilla and several other monsters. It is mostly focused on the Randa family and how they were secretly connected to Monarch.
Therefore, monsters do not play a major role in the series.
The series includes important footage featuring Godzilla and Kong but is not focused on the monsters alone.
Monarch explores the origin of the titular organization, so the most we can get out of it is some footage of Kong and Godzilla.
About Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an American monster television series created by Chris Black and developed by Black and Matt Fraction for the streaming service Apple TV+ based on Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd. It is the sixth installment and the second television series in the MonsterVerse franchise.
The series follows members of the organization Monarch as they encounter Godzilla and other monsters, known as “Titans,” over a half-century, following the events of Godzilla (2014). Black serves as a showrunner.
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 reviews from critics.
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