The timeline intersecting payoff of 2 x 07 ‘String Theory’ has the critics reengaging with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters second season.

Sounds like /Film is as here for the timey-wimey stuff as we are.

Shaw receives an impossible radio transmission. Cate and Keiko uncover an ancient link to Titan X. Isabel has a proposition for Kentaro.

Once again, an official teaser clip has been shared with media — available in this article.

Likely a good signal towards an announcement of a third season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in addition to the new Lee Shaw focused 1980s Cold War spinoff going into production this June.

Interestingly, the show does well in Apple’s own rankings everywhere globally other than English speaking Commonwealth countries and Ireland.

This Salon feature from two weeks back provides a good overview of the 70+ year Godzilla franchise and its relevance to current audiences. There’s an analysis of where Monarch: Legacy of Monsters fits in the franchise’s themes.

Our relationship with Godzilla changes from movie to movie and age to age. Some films cast the King of the Monsters as a protector unconsciously joining humanity – and occasionally, King Kong – to fend off some mammoth existential evil. More often, he is a reckoning, reminding us of how puny we are in nature’s schemes...

…each springs from the same mutated DNA, mapping the source of Earth’s monster problems to mindless warfare, along with the intellectual vanity compelling man to seek an upper hand over nature instead of figuring out how to coexist.

Godzilla and the other Titans stampeding in his wake are post-World War II creations; Ishirō Honda, who directed the OG “Godzilla,” was a veteran of that war marked by his travel through the ruins of Hiroshima after the United States bombed its civilians and Nagasaki to force Japan’s surrender. The Geneva Conventions’ protocols made such acts illegal, but as we’re discovering with alarming frequency and force these days, laws are only as effective as our willingness to abide by them…

An interesting and thorough reflection on how the original Godzilla (1954) was adapted to make Godzilla: King of the Monsters (1956), with a framing story starring Raymond Burr, for the franchise’s introduction to American / English language audiences.

Shaw and Suzuki test a “Titan phone” designed to summon Godzilla, triggering an unforeseen event that puts Shaw in the path of his own past.

Written by: Maria Melnik

Directed by: Jeff King

Welcome to the episode discussion! There is no spoiler protection in episode discussion threads, and spoiler tags are not necessary!

Mastdon post on creator’s account.

Not available yet at gricklemart.com but, his earlier Godzilla ones are there.

Now that we’ve had some time to digest the events of 2 x 05, it might be interesting to speculate and discuss what’s happening and where we think the Monsterverse is going with the apparent link between Cate, and Keiko, Randa to the Titans.

From her first interactions with Godzilla in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season one, we’ve been shown that Cate Randa has an unusual ability to connect with Titans/kaiju. In season two, it’s also been shown that Keiko is repeatedly aware of Co-Cai/TitanX ahead of others.

This doesn’t seem to be like the longstanding relationship between Mothra and the twins.

Are we getting a third angle on the Legacy? Monster research/Monarch + fractured attachment in relationships + genetic communication ability?

Any thoughts?

Shaw and Suzuki test a “Titan phone” designed to summon Godzilla, triggering an unforeseen event that puts Shaw in the path of his own past.

Once again, a somewhat spoilery official teaser clip has been shared with media — available in this article

An interesting analysis of GvK’s place in the industry’s recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic emergency wound down sufficiently that theatres reopened.

Godzilla vs. Kong eventually earned $470 million worldwide, making it a true, unqualified success. It was the first sign that en masse moviegoing could still exist in whatever our new normal would look like.

In Santa Soledad, Titan X becomes a target for Apex, forcing Shaw and the Randas to infiltrate the covert experiment.

Written by: Jeff King

Directed by: Andrew Colville

Welcome to the episode discussion! There is no spoiler protection in episode discussion threads, and spoiler tags are not necessary!

Alright, I loved this movie. So much better than Kong: Skull Island. It was weird at one moment with Serizawa and Russell switched opinions.

Overall this was an emotional roller coaster. Godzilla was injured, so the humans came to the rescue and then they joined the fight against King Ghidorah. I am so pleased with this sequel. But I didn’t expect Serizawa to die along the way.

In Santa Soledad, Titan X becomes a target for Apex, forcing Shaw and the Randas to infiltrate the covert experiment.

Once again, a somewhat spoilery official teaser clip has been shared with media — available in this article.

So I stuck with it and watched movie number 2. Kong: Skull Island while not tying back to Godzilla (2014) heavily (or more than like three lines of dialogue total), failed to grip me as much. It felt like a muddled mash up of your stereotypical Vietnam War story and fantastical creatures horror jig. Most the time I couldn’t understand if I was meant to care for any of the humans. By the time it got to like the 1:30:00 mark, I felt the true conflict arose: kill vs. defend Kong. Most curious question: is Mason Weaver meant to be an Ann Darrow counterpart?

My mind immediately wants to compare this to Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake. I am most with that story for my connection to Kong. I’m certain I’ve seen the original but can’t confirm. Sorry Brie, but I think Naomi Watts was a better Darrow.

EDIT: Kinda pissed me of the post-credit scene was exactly that: post credits. That part should have been a slightly bigger focus of the plot.

cross-posted from: https://startrek.website/post/37146040

While those of us who were already fans of the Monsterverse extended Godzilla universe continuity have been watching Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on AppleTV, it turns out that Amazon Prime has had a licence to stream it until March 31st.

Currently, the second season of this popular action epic is rolling out on Apple TV, but season 1 is one of the most-watched Prime Video shows on the planet at the moment. This brief stint on Prime Video will be short-lived, however, since the series will be removed from Prime Video less than 2 weeks on April 1, 2026. Don't miss your chance to binge this celebrated series before it's gone.

If you’re thinking of giving Monarch a try, and don’t have AppleTV, this may be a good opportunity.

To get Hiroshi’s device back, Shaw and the team execute a daring heist at Apex Cybernetics.

Written by: Al Letson

Directed by: Hiromi Kamata

Welcome to the episode discussion! There is no spoiler protection in episode discussion threads, and spoiler tags are not necessary!

Whatever the actual weather may be where you are, this Blender creation by visual artist @toolbrowny (on YouTube) aka shanedioneda.com, may give you a spring experience.

I was recommended Monarch. Wanted to start from the beginning. So I watched Godzilla (2014). Guess my hesitation was from my exposure to the Roland Emmerich movie as a child (I did like the animated sequel series), and the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. I have no familiarity with the IP outside this.

This was unexpectedly very enjoyable. Not a lot actually occurs by way of the plot but the moments we get of Godzilla and the mutos just look so cool. I was cheering when the last muto got fire breath directly down their mouth. Definitely going to watch Kong: Skull Island.

On a more serious note: what was the response from the Japanese audience? This was just three years after the Fukushima meltdown. Knowing the original 1954 movie was commentary on Hiroshima, makes me wonder how such a audience felt in 2014, not just with the timing but also the fact it was a American franchise bringing back the IP.

A comprehensive perspective on the Guinness Book of World Records longest running screen franchise from The Irish Examiner.

Having a the perspective of an Irish fan and media critic is interesting - Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and other Godzilla media do consistently less well in English speaking countries other than the United States.

From the piece:

But why are giant monsters enjoying a resurgence in 2024, when big franchises such as Marvel are going through a slump? How is it that we have gone cold on men and women in spandex costumes, while we embrace kaiju laying waste to our cities?

“Kaiju have become the new superheroes. Much like anime, after years of blossoming in its niche fandom here in the West, kaiju have expanded into mainstream popularity,” says Nathan Marchand, host of  The Monster Island Film Vault podcast.

By @grickle@mstdn.social - https://mstdn.social/@grickle/116245351426406913

To get Hiroshi’s device back, Shaw and the team execute a daring heist at Apex Cybernetics.

Mild spoilers ahead for this Friday’s episode…

Again, there’s a teaser clip that Broadway World has up.

This feature article from Japan Times includes more perspective on filming in Japan and the cross-Pacific cast.

For decades, Japan had a reputation as a difficult place for international productions to film. But the experience of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” suggests that perception is beginning to shift.

“It was nice to see how everyone was coming together (and that) Japan is also growing to be a more easily filmable place,” Sawai says.

Ren Watanbe, who plays Kenark Randa, says:

“That's what makes this show original,” Watabe says. “My character, who's authentically Japanese, is bringing that element to the story on a very Hollywood scale. You’ve got Kurt Russell and Kiersey Clemons (alongside myself) and I think that’s a very unique thing.”