TheWrap magazine: Kurt Russell explains why the monster Apple TV+ series was right for him to pair up with his son

Godzilla is having a resurgence, with the monster’s legacy extending from the big screen to television in a way that highlights both human drama and epic battles. Earlier this year, “Godzilla Minus One” took home an Oscar, and it was soon followed by the box office success of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” Now, the legendary creature is making waves on the small screen with Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

Created by Chris Black, known for Severance, and legendary comic book writer Matt Fraction, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters delves into the origins of Monarch, the secret government organization responsible for tracking creatures like Godzilla. The show focuses on half-siblings, portrayed by Anna Sawai and newcomer Ren Watabe, who unite after the death of their father, a high-ranking Monarch official. Their search leads them to Lee Shaw, a former Monarch operative played by Kurt Russell in the present and by his son, Wyatt Russell, in flashbacks. Shaw’s character is crucial to uncovering Monarch’s deepest secrets.

What sets Monarch apart from traditional Godzilla films is its focus on human drama. While Godzilla’s appearances are fewer, the emotional and thrilling narrative makes his scenes even more impactful. Kurt Russell, who has a history of battling otherworldly creatures—most notably in The Thing (1982) and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2—was drawn to the project by his childhood memories of Godzilla and the chance to work alongside his son in a unique way.

For the Russells, playing the same character across different timelines was an exciting challenge. Kurt Russell credits casting director Ronna Kress for the innovative idea of casting a father and son to portray the same character in adulthood—a move that’s never been done before. This allowed for a deeper exploration of the character, with Kurt and Wyatt creating subtle connections between their performances.

In Monarch, the character of Lee Shaw serves as the bridge between two distinct time periods, making him central to the story’s unfolding mysteries. Kurt Russell emphasized the importance of emotional depth, stating that it was crucial for the human relationships in the show to resonate as strongly as the grandeur of the monsters. According to Russell, rewatching the first season reveals nuanced similarities in the father-son performances that might go unnoticed on a first viewing. The goal was to create a “cinematic blend” that balanced the human story with the epic scale of Godzilla, making the emotional stakes as monumental as the monster battles themselves.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters not only honors the legacy of Godzilla but also elevates it by intertwining the colossal with the intimate, proving that even in a world of giant monsters, it’s the human connections that truly matter.