Godzilla's Epic Show Overhauls Franchise Flaws After 4 Monsterverse Movies

Summary

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will expand on the history and interactions between humanity and Titans in the Monsterverse, going beyond what the movies have explored.

The show's emphasis will shift away from Godzilla and towards human characters, aiming to create a more captivating storyline and offer a new outlook.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will introduce additional Titans, expanding the collection of monsters in the Monsterverse and further establishing Godzilla as the primary Titan.

The upcoming Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will expand the Monsterverse's history and scope, addressing unresolved issues from the four previous films. While the movies have primarily centered around Godzilla and Kong, the show will delve into the extensive backstory of the enigmatic Monarch organization and the interactions between humanity and the other Titans throughout the Monsterverse timeline. Although Godzilla will play a prominent role as the reigning Alpha Titan, the TV show will delve even deeper into the Monsterverse lore than any film has been able to thus far.

By immersing itself in the Monsterverse lore, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will have the opportunity to tackle various narrative elements that the movies, constrained by their limited runtimes, have not been able to address. Whereas the previous four films understandably focused on the conflict with iconic monsters from Godzilla's extensive Toho history, they paid little attention to the human characters or the unknown Titans. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will significantly expand upon these auxiliary aspects of the Monsterverse, resulting in a more encompassing universe and narrative surrounding Godzilla.

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Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Gives Godzilla A Smaller Role

Ever since his debut in the 1954 film "Godzilla," the reptilian creature has taken center stage in kaiju movies from both Japan and the United States. As a result, the majority of movie enthusiasts are well-acquainted with Godzilla's arsenal of powers and abilities in his role as Earth's guardian (for the most part). Although the Monsterverse films have made minor revisions to his origin story and source of strength, he has already appeared in three out of four movies, leaving little uncharted territory for further exploration of Godzilla himself.

That gives Monarch: Legacy of Monsters a unique opportunity to minimize Godzilla's role in its narrative. Trailers have revealed that Godzilla will still make appearances in the show, and given the periods of time that the show will cover, his actions will likely still drive some of the story and characters' motivations. However, by shifting the focus onto the other humans and Titans in the world instead of Godzilla, the show can delve deeper into the surrounding world. This will enrich his future appearances in the Monsterverse movies, while also paving the way for potential spin-offs unrelated to Godzilla, similar to Kong: Skull Island.

Godzilla's Show Can Finally Bring Fully-Realized Human Characters To The Franchise

Critics of the Monsterverse movies have consistently voiced their concern about the minimal development given to human characters. Although some movies handle this aspect better than others, the focus has primarily been on the clash between kaiju, neglecting the significance of the human characters in the overall Titan narrative. This issue came to a forefront with Godzilla vs. Kong, where the three monsters took center stage, relegating the human characters to mere expositional tools. To break this pattern, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters can present a human-centric narrative, dedicating multiple episodes to the in-depth exploration of strong and well-rounded characters.

The show is evidently giving significant importance to this particular opportunity, even going to the extent of selecting Kurt and Wyatt Russell to play the younger and older versions of the same character, whose storyline will be explored over multiple decades. While the thrill of watching giant monsters fight is entertaining, delving deep into the development of human characters can offer a fresh perspective on humanity's role in a world dominated by god-like Titanic creatures. This addition will infuse much-needed gravity into the overall narrative of the Monsterverse, enabling the audience to comprehend the real-life consequences of the rise of the Titans which extend far beyond colossal creatures battling and firing energy beams.

Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Is Introducing New Monsters

Since his second film, Godzilla Raids Again, Godzilla has engaged in battles with various other colossal creatures. His role as a defender (and occasionally a foe) of humanity consistently brings him into conflict with these monstrous threats to the world, firmly establishing him as the Alpha Titan of the Monsterverse. In a justified manner, the movies have exclusively featured Godzilla confronting adversaries and allies that have been long established by Toho. One of the major attractions of the four Monsterverse films has been the contemporary on-screen appearances of numerous renowned Titans within the Monsterverse, following the events of Godzilla vs. Kong.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will unveil new Titans, some of which may have been hinted at or briefly glimpsed in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. By the time of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Monarch had already discovered and monitored at least 17 Titans. It would be a significant loss for the Monsterverse to disregard these other creatures, considering their size and their roles as both allies and adversaries of humanity (and Godzilla). Thankfully, the episodic format of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters allows for the introduction of these monsters without overcrowding a single movie. A more extensive lineup of creatures can only enhance the overarching narrative of the Monsterverse and further establish Godzilla as the dominant Titan.