Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell Discuss Monarch Season 2 as Kong, Godzilla and Titan X Return
kurt russell and his son Wyatt Russell have spoken about Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 and a planned spy spinoff as the series’ new season arrives on streaming. The timing matters because Season 2, listed on the 2026 TV schedule and premiering on Apple TV on February 27, reintroduces Kong, Godzilla and an original Titan X in episodes critics are already assessing.
Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell on Monarch Season 2 and a Spy Spinoff
The headline conversation is simple in scope: Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell talked about Monarch Season 2 and a spy spinoff. Details of their remarks are unclear in the provided context, but their names are attached to discussion of the second season and an ancillary spy project tied to the series.
Kong's Return to Skull Island and the Season 1 Finale
The Season 2 premiere picks up immediately after the Season 1 finale, which ended with Kong arriving at the site where Cate Randa, Keiko Randa and May Olowe-Hewitt reemerged from Axis Mundi in 2017. That stormy-night arrival turns into a more substantial presence as Kong reappears the following day when protagonists return to Skull Island to reopen the portal to Axis Mundi in an attempt to rescue Lee Shaw.
Axis Mundi, Titan X and the Killing of Natalia Verdugo
The episode titled "Cause and Effect" establishes that Kong is disturbed by open access to Axis Mundi and any Titans passing through it, explicitly including the mysterious Titan X. The context makes cause and effect clear: a tentacled creature escaped Skull Island after killing Monarch deputy director Natalia Verdugo, and that escape is presented as the proximate reason for Kong’s aggressive reaction and his opposition to the portal being used.
Season 2 Structure, Timeline and Franchise Connections
Monarch’s television adaptation continues to thread itself into the larger MonsterVerse. The series is set chronologically between Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, meaning Kong remains on Skull Island and is years away from moving to Hollow Earth. This marks Kong’s third chronological appearance in the franchise timeline following Kong: Skull Island, which takes place in 1973, and the animated Skull Island series set in 1993. The show originally debuted on Apple TV in late 2023, and a second season was announced months after the first ended.
Critical Response, Visuals and the Season’s Pacing
Reviews that have begun to surface describe Season 2 as a confident expansion that balances cinematic kaiju battles with deep character work. Critics note that plots are more straightforward this season, and that Titans — including Kong, Godzilla and Titan X — receive generous screen time supported by feature-film-quality visual effects. Several critics highlighted the season’s pacing: the first half moves like a rocket with multiple Titan set pieces and major twists, while the back half slows before introducing a narrative device that delivers emotional payoff. Reviewers singled out strong performances from Anna Sawai and Mari Yamamoto and called the kaiju fights explosive and brutal. Named critics include Tara Bennett of IGN Movies, Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky, Jeff Ewing of The Direct and Chris Gallardo of Tell-Tale TV.
Production Notes, Trailers and Audience Access
Executive producer Tory Tunnell described the decision to revisit Skull Island as an effort to avoid repeating the film Skull Island while still offering a taste of Kong as a hero Titan and surprising audiences with his reactions. The season’s trailer, released last month, shows Lee and Keiko in front of the Skullcrawler Boneyard from Kong: Skull Island, indicating the series will return characters to that environment later in the season. The premiere is a subscription-exclusive episode on Apple TV; Apple TV+ access is listed at $12. 99 a month with a 7-day trial, with availability and pricing noted as varying globally.
kurt russell’s and Wyatt Russell’s engagement with the project lands as Monarch’s Season 2 attempts to stitch closer connective tissue between the television series and the franchise’s feature films, aiming both to reward longtime fans and to welcome new viewers.
