Apple TV is getting more involved in the world of the Monsterverse, announcing that a prequel series to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is in the works.
What do we know about the Monarch prequel?
The new series, which expands Legendary’s Monsterverse, will focus on Colonel Lee Shaw, the character played by Wyatt Russell, before the events of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Russell will reprise his role as Shaw in the series, and will take place in 1984, when Shaw “went on a secret mission behind enemy lines in an attempt to stop the Soviets from unleashing a horrific new Titan big enough to destroy the U.S. and turn the tide of the Cold War.”
The untitled Young Lee Shaw series will see Emmy-nominated screenwriter and producer Joby Harold serve as showrunner. In the same announcement, Apple TV also announced that Harold will also oversee the entire Monsterverse franchise for Apple TV, which is said to feature “both new and fan-favorite Titans.”
The newly announced show joins Apple’s slate of content from the Legendary Monsterverse. Prior to this, Apple TV produced Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which starred Russell, his father Kurt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Andres Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. A second season of the series is set to premiere on February 27, 2026.
“Viewers around the world haven’t been able to get enough of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ since its global debut, and we cannot wait to unleash the electrifying new stories that Joby and the entire cast and creative team have been working on,” said Morgan Wandell, head of international development for Apple TV. “With Joby at the helm, and alongside our terrific partners at Legendary, this new spinoff will kick off an epic Monsterverse expansion that brings audiences even closer to their favorite Titans along with fantastic character-driven storytelling.”
