Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is back for season 2, with the first footage now revealed.
The first trailer for season 2 of Monarch offers a quick glimpse of the show’s return, which will seemingly continue the separate timelines while also letting another iconic monster take center stage. The footage confirms the return of Kurt Russell as Lee Shaw, as well as his real-life son Wyatt Russell reprising his role as younger Shaw in flashbacks.
The trailer also reveals that the 10-episode season will begin airing on Apple TV on Feb. 27, 2026.
Along with the two Russells leading the cast, Monarch also stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm.
The second season looks to pick up with the cliffhanger from season 1, in which the heroes find themselves on Skull Island, where Kong rules over its various monstrous inhabitants. Kong himself makes an appearance in the new trailer, suggesting a bigger role this season.
For those who don't know, Monarch is the Apple TV+ series that brings the cinematic universe of the Monsterverse to the small screen. The show unfolds over two separate timelines exploring the history of the shadowy organization that monitors “Titans” on the planet, and the modern world where the likes of Godzilla and Kong have emerged.
Kong is taking over as the main monster in Monarch season 2
While Monarch: Legacy of Monsters deals with a lot of different and deadly monsters around the world, a lot of it was focused on Godzilla. The Monsterverse icon only made a few appearances in the first season, but much of the story revolved around his destructive introduction to the world of humans in the 21st century.
From the way season 1 ended and from what we see from season 2, it seems as though Monarch will be leaning into another big-name monster, with Kong taking over that role. It is safe to assume that a large chunk of season 2 will be set on Skull Island, and Kong will be the subject of fascination for the heroes to explore. It could also help to bridge some of the narrative gaps in the Monsterverse movies.
Kong was first introduced in Kong: Skull Island, which was set in the 1970s and dealt with the military discovering the giant ape for the first time. He was next seen in Godzilla vs. Kong, which was set in the 21st century and showed Kong being overseen by the military. Monarch will likely bridge the gap between those stories and perhaps set up the next Monsterverse movie.