Beloved Apple TV Hit Monarch Scores a Prequel Right After Season 2

Apple TV+ may not be done with Monarch just yet. A new report says a prequel to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is moving forward, with Wyatt Russell back as young Lee Shaw. Not official, but the pieces line up in a way that makes sense for where this franchise is heading.

What the prequel reportedly is (and when to expect it)

• Per Nexus Point News, Apple TV+ has greenlit a Monarch prequel that would roll out after Season 2 of the main series.
• Wyatt Russell would return as the younger Lee Shaw, the role he played opposite his real-life dad, Kurt Russell, who plays present-day Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
• Story specifics are under wraps, but the setting is said to be the Cold War era, focusing on the early emergence of monsters as the U.S. and the Soviet Union were locked in deep political tension.
• Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Kenobi) is reportedly set as showrunner and executive producer, alongside his Safehouse Pictures partner (and wife) Tory Tunnell. They previously executive produced Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
• Wyatt Russell would also executive produce in addition to starring.
• Production is expected to start in Prague in summer 2026.
• Timing-wise, it would land after Monarch Season 2 (premiering February 27, 2026 on Apple TV+) and after Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, currently dated for March 26, 2027.

Cold War monsters and the Russells (again)

Setting this in the Cold War tracks with the show’s ongoing back-and-forth timeline. The Russells were a highlight of Season 1, and doubling down on Wyatt’s version of Shaw gives the franchise a built-in anchor for a period spy/monster mashup. Also worth noting: Wyatt brings extra heat right now thanks to Thunderbolts* on the horizon.

Who is steering this

Joby Harold running point makes sense if Apple wants this to feel connected to Monarch without repeating it. Harold and Tory Tunnell’s Safehouse Pictures already have skin in the game as EPs on Monarch, and bringing Wyatt Russell in as an executive producer suggests this is built around his take on Shaw from the ground up.

Where it fits in the MonsterVerse

This would be the latest expansion in Legendary’s MonsterVerse, which currently includes five films and one live-action TV series. If the Prague start date holds, do not expect the prequel anytime soon. The runway clearly puts it behind Monarch Season 2 and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova.

As always with early chatter: this is a report, not an announced series. But if Apple is looking at what worked in Season 1 and aiming to keep that energy going, a Cold War Shaw prequel is a pretty logical swing.