Monsterverse fans, we got it. We asked for the Monsterverse to continue and we got it. We have heard about the next Monsterverse movie was going into production this year and it just got more official as recent news broke that the upcoming Monsterverse movie now has a release date.
Announced by Warner Bros. and first reported by Deadline, the fifth movie in the Monsterverse series will release on March 15, 2024.
With a set date in place, we can now have ideas on when to expect the next bit of news for the movie. Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. have been silent on the project for some time. We would get information from outside sources like Production Weekly, but nothing was officially confirmed. So having an announcement from Legendary and Warner Bros. confirming a release date for this movie makes it truly official. Currently, the movie had just started production this summer filming in Queensland, New Zealand where most of the scenes for Skull Island and the Hollow Earth would be shot.
One of the biggest discussions about this fifth Monsterverse film is what this movie is about and it is still a debate since there is no description for this movie. There is not even an official title. Right now, there is a lot of mystery on whether this movie is a solo Kong film or if this movie is "Godzilla vs Kong: Round 2." The needle is currently pointing towards the direction of a solo Kong film, but outlets like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter keep calling it a Godzilla vs Kong sequel, which is causing a lot of confusion. Honestly speaking, it is correct in calling the fifth film the sequel to Godzilla vs Kong since the movie will take place after that movie, yet without an official movie title nor a movie synopsis there will always be this mystery on what this movie is going to be and we don't really know what to call it. Not many fans want to call it by the movie's working title "SON OF KONG" because not everyone likes the idea of baby versions of Kong nor Godzilla. So everyone just calls it the "Untitled Godzilla vs Kong sequel."
Later the same day, we get more official confirmation on the cast and characters for the upcoming Apple TV+ series “MONARCH,” which seems to have undergone another name change, as well. Announced by Legendary and Apple TV+, actors Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski are cast to star in the untitled Monsterverse tv show for Apple TV+.
Anna Sawai is reported to play a character named Cate, a Japanese-American ex-school teacher who managed to survive the traumatic events in San Fransisco. She travels to Japan to get her family affairs in order, but ends up discovering shocking secrets about her family, which disrupts her life even further by going on a quest to unravel the mystery on how her family and a secret organization (aka Monarch) are connected. Sawai made her film debut in 2009's Ninja Assassin and recently starred in Fast 9.
Kiersey Clemons will be playing May, an American ex-pat who is described to be sharp, intelligent, analytical, and always three steps ahead of everyone when it comes to deciphering codes and finding loopholes. Clemons has starred in Transparent, Easy, Angie Tribeca, Zack Snyder's Justice League, and Amazon Prime's Fairfax.
Joe Tippett is set to play Tim, a guy who longs to participate in a secret agent-style adventure, but his eagerness might get him in trouble. However, Elisa Lasowski's character, Duvall, is everything that Tim is not: an expert operative who's competent enough to trust her own work while delivering quips of with a wry sense of humor. Tippett is known for HBO's Mare of Easttown and has also starred in The Morning Show and NBC's Rise. Lasowski had a small part in Game of Thrones and recently starred in the European series Versailles.
The newest actor, Ren Watabe, will be playing Kentaro, a boy who decides to investigate his father's mysterious past and ends up discovering his own talents and finding his own path.
Followed up, the title "MONARCH" has seemingly changed again. This time, it is now called "Godzilla and the Titans" according to Production Weekly. Whether this is the official title or not is unknown, but if it is the show's official title then this is not the first time we have heard the title before. Sources such as Variety have been calling the show "Godzilla and the Titans" ever since the show was first announced. However, this was brushed under the rug thinking it was a placeholder until the show's real title is revealed. There is even an IMDB page for the show that right now has "Untitled Apple/Godzilla and the Titans Project" as the title. Once again, still using the "Godzilla and the Titans" title, yet it seems like IMDB is still unsure about it. For all we know, "Godzilla and the Titans" may not even be the show's actual title and it could still be called "MONARCH." It was just odd that Production Weekly changed the title from "MONARCH" to "Godzilla and the Titans" in the latest issue.
In terms of the cast and the description of the characters, it looks like the show will be heavily focused on the women characters and glad that we are getting more Japanese characters to bring in the Monsterverse. On the other hand, the description of these characters sound kind of boring and the fact that some of them being emotional and one of them even described to be the "strong woman" stereotype character sends yellow flags. Of course, I will need to see the trailer of this show first, but these descriptions are making me worried about how the show will turn out.
We have seen examples from movies like Ghostbusters: Answer The Call (2016), Charlie's Angels (2019), Ocean's Eight, and Disney's infamous Star Wars sequel trilogy where they played up these same types of women lead roles for the sake of propaganda and go horribly wrong. Nobody likes to be preached to about gender politics nor any politics in their movies and shows. Shows and movies are suppose to be a gateway to step away from reality for at least an hour and a half. They're suppose to be entertaining and fun, not boring and preachy. I hope I am wrong and "MONARCH" turns out better than expected and the description of the characters were just poorly written. So far, that is what I am getting when I read the descriptions of these characters. They sound boring and have a feeling that it will be preachy.
It is being speculated that this show could come out in 2023 as it is reported to have started production on June 27th and would finish filming by December 15th. If true, then late Summer/early Fall 2023 would be a realistic time frame for the show to begin streaming on Apple TV+. That is, unless, there are delays for some reason, but let us pray that it doesn't come to it.
We do still have the Netflix anime series Skull Island to look forward, as well. It is rumored to release later this year, so we will have our fill of Monsterverse content while we wait for "MONARCH" next year, and then the fifth Monsterverse film shortly after.
What are your thoughts on the announcements for the Monsterverse film and TV series? Do they make you excited? Does one excite you more than the other? Leave a comment in the comments section of your thoughts on which Monsterverse content are you looking forward to the most. Make sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Minds, MeWe, Gab, and TRUTH Social to stay up to date for more news, reviews, and discussions.