With the release of the first episode of the highly anticipated Monarch: Legacy of Monsters finally graced us with its first episode on February 27, 2026. And with the hype surrounding the new season and the entire show in general, many new viewers may now be trying to finally deep dive into the wider Monsterverse.

Thus, here’s a list of all the projects currently available in the multimedia franchise, in chronological order, that you should watch before taking a look at the newly released second season of the Apple TV+ show.

1. Kong: Skull Island

Set in 1973, Kong: Skull Island is chronologically the first encounter of humanity with the Kaijus of the Monsterverse, a full reboot of the Kong franchise, unconnected to Peter Jackson’s 2005 King Kong. This was our first encounter with the fandom with monsters like the Skull Devil, the Skullcrawlers, Mother Longlegs, and many other lesser-known Kaijus from the lore.

This was also the first look at the first steps towards the introduction and later involvement of Monarch in the Monsterverse in connecting storylines throughout the franchise.

2. Skull Island

A still from Skull Island | Credits: Legendary Television

After the events of the aforementioned film, the events of the Netflix animated series, Skull Island, is a survival thriller show that sees a new group of explorers washing ashore on the titular home of Kong.

The show further dives deeper into the lore of these monsters, while also exploring the wider effects that the events of the original film had on Skull Island as a whole.

3. Godzilla

A still from Godzilla | Credits: Legendary Pictures

Officially, the start of Monsterverse, 2014’s Godzilla brought us the iconic Kaiju in a new, more intimidating, and extremely monstrous form. This also introduces Monarch in a more prominent light than Kong: Skull Island, but it still managed to keep the focus on Godzilla’s decimation of the MUTOs.

The film also managed to set up the franchise’s future with story arcs and narratives that would be explored further down the road, like the prominent Hollow Earth theory.

4. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Season 1)

A still from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters | Credits: Legendary Pictures

The events that are being told in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters are set in the middle of the road in terms of the overarching Monsterverse timeline. The first season tells the tale of two individuals in 2015, researching and studying more on Godzilla and connecting the dots of his existence with that of their parents and Monarch.

This season is set to follow the events that transpire two years in the future after the conclusion of Season 1, where the first episode of Season 2, they are now face-to-face with none other than Kong.

5. Godzilla: King of the Monsters

A still from Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Credits: Legendary Pictures

Taking place chronologically in 2019, Godzilla: King of the Monsters showcased to us the true potential of visual spectacles that the Monsterverse was truly capable of. Along with Godzilla in focus, we were treated to introductions of Mothra, Rodan, and the devastating King Ghidorah in the franchise.

At the same time, the film also paid off in a big way in terms of emotional and narrative impact on the major characters, like actor Ken Watanabe’s portrayal of Dr. Ishirō Serizawa.

6. Godzilla Vs. Kong

A still from Godzilla Vs. Kong | Credits: Legendary Pictures

The climax of the overarching narrative that could challenge the title of the King of Monsters, Godzilla Vs. Kong proved to be the perfect clash of two alpha Kaijus on the big screen. The visual spectacle proved to be more beautiful than expected, while the plot of the Hollow Earth theory opened up a whole new world inside the franchise.

And despite besting Kong in a fight, he and Godzilla become allies when the activation of Mechagodzilla goes wrong, where King Ghidorah’s consciousness corrupts the machine, and its upto the two alphas to stop it.

7. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Taking place, chronologically, in 2027, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire brings in a new, menacing threat into focus in the form of the Skar King and Shimo, evil counterparts to the team of Godzilla and Kong.

This film further puts the involvement of human characters on the back burner and puts the visual spectacle aspect of massive Kaiju battles at the forefront, something that fans of the franchise are always asking for.

Here’s an overview of the Monsterverse projects mentioned in chronological order above.

Film/TV SeriesDirector/CreatorRotten Tomatoes ScoreBox OfficeStreaming/Rent/BuyKong: Skull IslandJordan Vogt-Roberts75% | 70%$568 MillionHBO Max (US)Skull IslandBrian Duffield82% | 74%N/ANetflix (US)GodzillaGareth Edwards76% | 66%$524 MillionPlex (US)Monarch (Season 1)Chris Black, Matt Fraction82% | 80%N/AApple TV+ (US)Godzilla: King of the MonstersMichael Dougherty42% | 83%$387 MillionHBO Max (US)Godzilla Vs. KongAdam Wingard75% | 91%$470 MillionPrime Video (US)Godzilla x Kong: The New EmpireAdam Wingard54% | 89%$572 MillionHBO Max (US)

Which order would you recommend watching the Monsterverse? Tell us in the comments below.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+ (US).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire