Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell have joined the cast of Apple TV+ and Legendary Television’s live-action monster series, based on the latter company’s MonsterVerse franchise (“King Kong,” “Godzilla”). The father and son duo join previously announced stars Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski.
The as-yet untitled project will pick up following the epic battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco. The spinoff series, revealed to be in the works back in January, will follow one family’s discovery of a legacy that links them to the Monarch, a secret organization featured in previous films.
While the Russells’ character information has yet to be revealed, Sawai will star as former school teacher Cate, Watabe as the curious and intellectual Kentaro, Clemons as a rogue-ish American ex-pat May, Tippett as an office drone with bigger dreams named Tim and Lasowski as skilled operative Duvall.
Emmy Award-nominated director Matthew Shakman will helm the first two episodes and serve as executive producer alongside showrunner and co-creator Chris Black and Matt Fraction. The series is also executive produced by Safehouse Pictures’ Tory Tunnell and Joby Harold. Executive producing for Toho Co. Ltd. — the owner of Godzilla and other classic characters, which it has licensed to Legendary — are Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita. Legendary TV is producing.
Legendary’s MonsterVerse is an expansive story universe centering around humanity’s battle of survival against real, life-threatening monsters. It began back in 2014 with “Godzilla” and continued with 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island,” 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” and 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.” These films have accrued close to $2 billion at the global box office. The franchise will also continue with the upcoming Netflix anime “Skull Island.”
Wyatt is repped by UTA, Narrative, and Karl Austen of Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer, while Kurt is repped by UTA.
