AppleTV has created a standout science fiction series that stands apart from the current focus on interconnected cinematic universes. Their sci-fi offerings are consistently high-quality, including critically acclaimed shows like Severance and ambitious space operas like Foundation. If Severance maintains its current level of quality, it could become one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever made.
But one show stands out by connecting to a larger cinematic universe. Cinematic universes have become increasingly popular since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) began, and it’s now common for seemingly independent stories to secretly link to other projects.
However, AppleTV has produced a science fiction series that achieves something different, yet remains compelling in its own right.
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Is A Vital Part Of The MonsterVerse
Courtesy of Apple TV
The show is called Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and it fits into the timeline established by the 2014 Godzilla film, which launched the MonsterVerse. While Monarch can be enjoyed on its own, it also plays a key role in the overall story of the MonsterVerse, especially by diving deeper into the history, world, and giant monsters – known as Titans – of the franchise.
The series Monarch uncovers the history of the massive creatures – Titans – in the MonsterVerse, including Godzilla and Kong. It also reveals new Titans, like the one coming in season two, called Titan X. Beyond just their stories, Monarch examines the science behind these Titans – where they came from and where they live, including the mysterious Hollow Earth seen in the films.
In many ways, Monarch is a crucial addition to the MonsterVerse. While you can still enjoy the main films without watching the show, Monarch offers important backstory and context that deepens your understanding of the larger universe.
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Rewrites MCU & DCU Rules
Photo courtesy of Apple TV
The movie Monarch has changed how we think about shared cinematic universes, like those of Marvel (MCU) and DC (DCU). These franchises have grown so large that you can now watch some of their movies and shows without feeling lost. A good example is the DCU, which recently started with Creature Commandos – a show that doesn’t connect to any of the other stories yet.
Over the past few years, several Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) shows like Hawkeye, Echo, Secret Invasion, She-Hulk, and Moon Knight have been released. So far, the stories and character developments in these shows haven’t been essential to understanding the broader MCU narrative. While a few minor plot points do connect to other projects—like brief references in Daredevil: Born Again—they’re usually easy to catch up on without having watched the shows themselves.
As we’ve seen, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stands out because it adds important background and details to the MonsterVerse story.
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Still Sets Itself Apart From The MonsterVerse
Even so, the show still feels distinct from other MonsterVerse stories, mainly because of its human characters. Throughout the MonsterVerse films, the human storylines have often been a weak point, but Monarch does a much better job of making them compelling.
The TV series allows for more detailed and realistic human characters compared to the movies. In fact, the human characters in Monarch are much better written than those in the MonsterVerse films, and this is one of the biggest strengths of the show and what sets it apart within the franchise.
Ultimately, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters successfully balances two approaches. It contributes to the broader MonsterVerse storyline with essential plot points, but also tells a compelling, self-contained story with well-developed characters, allowing it to be enjoyed independently.
Found an error? Send it info@screenrant.com so it can be corrected.
Read More
- Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Community Event for March 2026: Details, How to Progress, Rewards and more
- Jason Statham’s Action Movie Flop Becomes Instant Netflix Hit In The United States
- Kylie Jenner squirms at ‘awkward’ BAFTA host Alan Cummings’ innuendo-packed joke about ‘getting her gums around a Jammie Dodger’ while dishing out ‘very British snacks’
- Brawl Stars February 2026 Brawl Talk: 100th Brawler, New Game Modes, Buffies, Trophy System, Skins, and more
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Hailey Bieber talks motherhood, baby Jack, and future kids with Justin Bieber
- eFootball 2026 Jürgen Klopp Manager Guide: Best formations, instructions, and tactics
- MLBB x KOF Encore 2026: List of bingo patterns
- Magic Chess: Go Go Season 5 introduces new GOGO MOBA and Go Go Plaza modes, a cooking mini-game, synergies, and more
- Brent Oil Forecast
2026-02-27 16:28