“Everything I do as a filmmaker is about emotion and about characters”: Matt Shakman on Monarch – Legacy of Monsters

This new series Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters is part of the MonsterVerse franchise that captivated audiences with the lengthy and epic rampage stories of Godzilla, numerous Titans and a huge battle in San Francisco during 2014 that left most of the city in ruins.

The series is spread over ten action-packed episodes and explores two different timelines from the 1950s to 2015. The backstory of a military organisation of cryptozoologists called Monarch is explored through these two intertwined narratives and clever casting pairs up father and son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell in a shared role as army leader, Lee Shaw: someone who knows a lot about the world of monsters. In this new story, he becomes an important connection for two siblings who after the death of their father are keen to find out more about these buried secrets.

Using a brilliant scope of CGI effects, large-scale set pieces and traversing numerous exotic filming locations, the show is an ambitious and human-centric story that is hugely cinematic in its delivery.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to director Matt Shakman about what viewers can expect from this new story, the genius of casting Kurt and Wyatt Russell and the brilliant locations that help add authenticity to the narrative.

Ezelle Alblas

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is released on Apple TV+ on 17^th November 2023.

Watch the trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters here: