The MonsterVerse is continuing with a new Godzilla TV show at Apple TV+, which could have a huge impact on the franchise’s future. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures launched the monster-based franchise in 2014 with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. The most recent installment Godzilla vs. Kong arrived in 2021 to pit the MonsterVerse’s two main Titans against one another. Despite the movie being a box office hit during the pandemic, no sequel or spinoff announcements came, although a Son of Kong movie was reportedly in development. Instead, Apple has stepped in to give the MonsterVerse new life.
The newly announced live-action Godzilla TV show comes from Legendary Television and co-creators Chris Black (Star Trek Enterprise) and Matt Fraction. Details on the series are quite slim other than a vague plot synopsis that teases the aftermath of a Godzilla fight and a family uncovering secrets connecting them to Monarch. Based on the description that the untitled Godzilla series takes place following Gojira’s battle in San Francisco and the world discovering Titans are real, it appears that the show is set directly after 2014’s Godzilla and before its sequels. This gives the series room to explore its own story that is tied to the MonsterVerse canon.
Thanks to the announcement of Apple’s Godzilla TV show, there are newly raised questions about what the MonsterVerse’s future looks like. It is the second MonsterVerse TV show now in development joining Netflix’s animated Skull Island series. What makes this so odd is that the live-action series is happening at Apple TV+ and not HBO Max. Legendary worked with WB on all previous movies, so the franchise is expanding in any possible with streaming it seems. That could be good news for more MonsterVerse projects if Legendary gives Godzilla, Kong, Monarch, and other Titan-related projects to the highest-bidder instead of relying on a single corporation, whether that be Warner Bros., Apple, or Netflix.
There is also the chance that Apple TV+’s involvement in the Godzilla TV show is the first step in the streaming service working with the MonsterVerse. Legendary famously didn’t want Godzilla vs. Kong to debut on HBO Max the same day as its theatrical release, so there’s a chance that relationship has soured. Apple could now step in and become a major player in the MonsterVerse’s future. The new Godzilla TV series, if successful, could be the first of many MonsterVerse movies or shows to debut on Apple TV+. It would be a strong play by Apple Studios to secure a massive franchise with a dedicated fanbase. Although Apple TV+ has been successful with the likes of Ted Lasso, Invasion, The Morning Show, and others, the streaming service doesn’t yet have a big piece of IP to draw in more subscribers. The MonsterVerse could be just that.
Depending on what Apple’s role becomes in the MonsterVerse franchise, there is a chance that audiences could see the series divided between multiple studios. Apple TV+ and Netflix could continue acquiring high-profile live-action and animated shows, while WB could retain its place as the home for all MonsterVerse movies – as long as they get wide theatrical releases. This would be great news for audiences hungry for more content in the franchise, although it might also become frustrating as not all of it will be under one roof. Instead of subscribing to a single streaming service to see it all, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Netflix subscriptions could be necessary to stay up to date on the latest MonsterVerse content.
It also makes sense that Apple’s Godzilla show will focus on humans and Monarch instead of the big Titans of the MonsterVerse. A show is better suited to flesh out these characters without audiences expecting big-screen spectacle of Titans fighting. Putting the focus on Monarch in the TV show could help future MonsterVerse movies from feeling the need to spend as much time with human characters or use those already established in the Godzilla series.
