The duo play older and younger versions of Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Friday, 05 January 2024 at 11:37 AM


With only one episode left of Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, all eyes are on the series to see just how things will wrap up for the MonsterVerse show, which is set in the same universe as the Godzilla films and Kong: Skull Island.

Taking a leading role in the new 10-part series are Wyatt and Kurt Russell, who play older and younger versions of army officer Lee Shaw.

With the show flitting between two different timelines, viewers have come to learn more about Shaw’s past and how that informs his future, especially as Monarch is threatened by what the older version of Shaw knows.

The father-son acting duo take on the dual role in the series, but it turns out that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has not been their only joint job offer.

Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Wyatt revealed: “There were lots of projects that we turned down together, I mean, lots, maybe like four or five, but they were always father and son.”

Kurt then revealed, laughing to his son: “I didn’t tell you about seven or eight.”

Kurt Russell as Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters standing in the snow, dressed all in black.
Kurt Russell as Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Apple TV+

Wyatt then continued: “Alright. It was always father and son, and nothing ever grabbed us that was like, ‘Wow, that’s such a good story,’ or, ‘Gotta play that character.’ It was always somewhat… they felt like programmers.

“And then this came along, and it was a really unique idea. It was in a very big arena. Godzilla can’t get much bigger. And so it felt like, hey, if you’re gonna, like, take a swing, this is a pretty good pitch to take swing at.

“But, you know, just don’t swing and miss, because that would suck. So we had to put a lot of work in, and it turned out [well].”

As for now, there’s been no word as to whether the series will be renewed for another instalment, but there’s set to be plenty of drama in store for fans in the much-anticipated finale, which airs next week.

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According to the show’s synopsis: “Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that levelled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organisation known as Monarch.

“Clues lead them into the world of monsters, and ultimately down the rabbit hole to army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later, where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows.

“The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.”