Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 3 is officially in talks at Apple TV, but the season won’t be a simple continuation — showrunner Chris Black is exiting, and the search is on for an entirely new writers’ room to take the Monsterverse’s flagship show in a different direction.
The Hollywood Reporter and Variety both confirmed the talks on October 29, 2026, with iHorror and Dark Horizons corroborating the same day. Nothing is official yet — Apple TV has not announced a renewal — but the shape of what a Season 3 would look like is already clear, and it’s a bigger overhaul than a typical showrunner change.
Why Chris Black Is Leaving
Chris Black co-created Monarch: Legacy of Monsters with Matt Fraction and has run the show through both of its seasons so far. None of the trade reports explain exactly why he won’t return for a third, only that “a search is underway for a new showrunner and a new writing staff,” per Variety’s reporting. Multiple candidates have reportedly been approached for the job, though none has been named.
New Titans, Same Universe
Season 3 is reportedly set to introduce new Titans from Legendary’s Monsterverse rather than lean further on Godzilla and Kong, though no specific creature has been named yet. It’s also unclear which Season 1 and 2 characters would return under a new writing staff — a real question given how much of the show’s emotional core has rested on Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell playing the same character, Colonel Lee Shaw, across two different decades.
That dual-timeline device isn’t going away regardless of what happens with the mothership series. A separate, untitled spinoff centered on a young Lee Shaw in 1984 — with Wyatt Russell reprising the role and Joby Harold attached as showrunner — is reportedly further along in development than the Season 3 talks themselves.
What This Really Signals About the Monsterverse
A full creative reset, rather than a straightforward pickup, lines up with where the show has been trending critically. Season 1 premiered November 17, 2023 to an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score; Season 2, which ran 10 episodes from February 27 to May 1, 2026, settled at a lower 79%. That’s still a passing grade by most measures, but it’s a drop, not an improvement, and it tracks with a studio choosing to rebuild the writers’ room rather than just order more episodes.
What makes the timing notable is what isn’t changing: the Monsterverse’s film side is moving forward on schedule, with Godzilla vs. Kong: Supernova still targeting a 2027 release. Legendary isn’t stepping back from giant monsters — it’s specifically conceding that the TV side needs a different team to get right, while the films keep going untouched. For a kaiju fix that needs none of this show’s homework, Comic Book Co’s Godzilla Minus One watch guide covers the standalone, Oscar-winning Toho film streaming on Netflix.
| Season | Premiere | Rotten Tomatoes |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | November 17, 2023 | 86% |
| Season 2 | February 27 – May 1, 2026 | 79% |
| Season 3 | In talks, no date set | New showrunner and writers’ room |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters getting a Season 3?
Not officially yet. Apple TV and Legendary Television are in talks for a third season, confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety on October 29, 2026, but no renewal has been announced.
Why is showrunner Chris Black leaving Monarch?
Trade reports haven’t given a specific reason, only that a search is underway for a new showrunner and writing staff for Season 3. Black co-created the series with Matt Fraction and ran both of its first two seasons.
Will Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell return for Monarch Season 3?
It hasn’t been confirmed either way. Reports note genuine uncertainty about which characters from Seasons 1 and 2 would carry over under a new writers’ room.
What is the Lee Shaw spinoff series?
A separate, untitled Monsterverse series following a young Lee Shaw in 1984, with Wyatt Russell reprising the role and Joby Harold as showrunner. It’s reportedly further along in development than the Season 3 talks.
Is the Godzilla vs. Kong movie affected by the Monarch Season 3 talks?
No. Godzilla vs. Kong: Supernova is still targeting a 2027 release and isn’t connected to the creative changes being discussed for the TV series.
Apple TV+ is one of several services juggling genre franchises right now; see Comic Book Co’s guide to the best streaming services for genre fans for where else Marvel, DC and anime live.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, iHorror and Dark Horizons.
