Kurt Russell Teases a Much Bigger Threat Coming for Godzilla in the Monsterverse

Apple TV’s monumental sci-fi series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returned to the streamer for Season 2, and to find out what fans are in store for this time around, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sat down with stars Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, who both portray Army officer Lee Shaw. In this spoiler-free half of their conversation, the father and son duo discuss how Season 2 compares to Season 1, teasing what fans can expect this year.

After the revelations of Monarch Season 1, Legacy of Monsters Season 2 picks up with the fate of this organization, and the world as we know it, hanging in the balance. Our heroes, and their foes, reunite on Kong’s Skull Island, where long-buried secrets come to light, as well as a mysterious new village, and yet another mythical Titan surfaces from the sea. Here, the past and present collide, confusing the lines between friends, family, and enemies, as humans face off against a new threat.

Check out the full conversation in the video above, or the transcript below, where Kurt and Wyatt Russell discuss this “moving train,” and what we can expect from Wyatt’s spin-off series, producer Tory Tunnell describes as “punk rock.” The pair also jokes about Kurt Russell’s Super Bowl team-up with Wyatt’s Thunderbolts*‘s co-star Lewis Pullman, and brainstorm an all-star response to that collaboration.

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 2 Is a “Moving Train”

And this ride’s just getting started.

COLLIDER: Gentlemen, I really want to start with thank you both for your work. I have really loved your work my entire life. And I’m really loving your work. I just want to say thanks.

KURT RUSSELL: Thank you. Steve.

WYATT RUSSELL: I love your work.

KURT RUSSELL: Go ahead and tear it apart now.

[Laughs] Season 2 is fantastic. It is just like an adrenaline shot. It’s nonstop. I hate doing the generic thing, but how would you compare Season 2 to Season 1?

WYATT RUSSELL: It’s a great question. Season 2 is more like a moving train. You’re on it, and you’re going, and it’s more linear in certain ways. Season 1 was like you’re finding your footing, you’re learning who these characters are, and that always presents an element of newness that just takes a minute to get going. Then, for me, in Season 2, you know these people, you know what their personalities are like, you know their dynamics, and you see it blossom. I enjoyed that about it. It felt easier for me.

KURT RUSSELL: A lot of things that presented questions in [Season] 1 would begin to be answered in [Season] 2. The first year was Alice goes down the rabbit hole, and we deal with it, and you meet this guy who’s part of it somehow. Season 2 is really, Grandma comes out, and what she found down the rabbit hole comes out. Now they’re dealing with something that also came out with Grandma.

Wyatt Russell’s ‘Monarch’ Spinoff Makes the MonsterVerse Human

“You’ve got absolutely no fucking clue what to expect.”

Image via Apple TV+

I know that you are filming a spinoff series of Monarch this year. What can you tease people about it?

WYATT RUSSELL: I can tease that it’s going to be something that you’ve got absolutely no fucking clue what to expect. I think people are going to expect one thing and be like, “Holy shit, this is not what I expected.” It’ll go deeper into Lee’s experience after he came up, and being sort of put on ice, in 1982, and then what happens after that, and why he’s needed and the mission he goes on. I’m so excited about it. More excited about that than I’ve been excited about something in a very long time.

I’ve gotten the first episode, and it’s so well written. Joby Harold’s writing it, showrunning it. Having it come together the way it’s come together, I’m very excited and excited about exploring more of what this character becomes as you’ve seen him, an older version, that you see these experiences that he’s had that inform much more of what you’re going to continually be seeing in Monarch.

KURT RUSSELL: Which, in the first two seasons, we dropped a few things that inform that in a certain way.

I don’t want to drill down too much, because I know you can’t say too much, but have they told you, is it more like a Titan thing, or is it more like Cold War kind of stuff?

WYATT RUSSELL: It’s both, but in a way that… I don’t even know what I can talk about, so you guys figure that out later.

KURT RUSSELL: Watch Collider! [Laughs]

WYATT RUSSELL: But it’s so well integrated into both of those things, the way that they’ve dealt with and are dealing with their hand on how they infused monsters and infused the world of the MonsterVerse into a very, very, very human story, a la Monarch. It’s a little bit simpler because it’s less people. It’s less focused on a past and more focused on a present experience, mission, goal. But Joby has fused these elements so, so, so well, and I’m just excited.

I will not pressure you anymore.

WYATT RUSSELL: I know. Sorry, I’m trying to give you a good answer.

No, I appreciate that.

KURT RUSSELL: It’s great. I’m with you. I think this is going to be really interesting.

This is how I know the show is doing very well, because if they’re willing to do a spinoff.

KURT RUSSELL: And there’s someplace to go.

I’m all in.

Related

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Spin-Off Series Is a Punk Rock Cold War Spy Thriller [Exclusive]

Kurt and Wyatt Russell weigh in on Lee Shaw’s next chapter.

Wyatt Russell on His ‘Thunderbolts*’ Castmate Sharing Scenes With His Dad

“What the f*ck?”

I definitely have to ask the most important question, which is, you did a Super Bowl commercial, and you had Lewis Pullman as the person you’re training. Were you a little upset that it was Lewis being trained and not you?

WYATT RUSSELL: I called Lewis, and I was like, “What the fuck?” Nah, I’m kidding. I was so excited. I was like, “You’re doing Super Bowl commercial with my dad! You’re gonna have so much fun!”

KURT RUSSELL: He did. He asked me. He said, “What’s the story?” And I gave him a little thing. He said, “So who’s the guy?” I said, “Lewis Pullman.” He said, “Lewis Pullman? That’s great!”

WYATT RUSSELL: I was like, “Oh, my god, you’re gonna have so much fun.” Then I was like, “Well, now I’m going to have to do a commercial with Bill about, like, sleeping pills.” [Laughs] Something where it’s like you’re not getting enough sleep, and it’s me and Bill Pullman hocking sleeping pills.

It would actually be great if it were you and Bill, and Lewis and Kurt opposite you guys.

KURT RUSSELL: Anheuser-Busch, are you listening?

[Laughs] Just an idea.

WYATT RUSSELL: I love it.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is available to stream on Apple TV+. Keep an eye out for the spoiler half of this conversation later this season.

Release Date

November 16, 2023

Network

Apple TV

Showrunner

Chris Black, Matt Fraction