Moviefone Editorial

Tag: monsters

  • ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Spawns Spin-Off Series

    Wyatt Russell in 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,' now streaming on Apple TV+.
    Wyatt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

    Preview:

    • A new ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ spin-off series is in the works.
    • Wyatt Russell will star as Lee Shaw.
    • Apple TV is backing the show.

    It might not be quite as well known as the Monsterverse movies, but Apple TV’s ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ has certainly drawn its own fanbase.

    And now, it has proved successful enough that the company has commissioned a spin-off, one that will revolve around Colonel Lee Shaw, the character played in his younger days by Wyatt Russell.

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    The new series doesn’t yet have a title, but we do wonder if this means there won’t be any opportunity for the older version of Shaw –– played by Russell’s father, Kurt Russell –– to show up.

    Related Article: TV Review: ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’

    What’s the story of the new ‘Monarch’ spin-off series?

    Wyatt Russell in 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,' coming soon to Apple TV+.
    Wyatt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.

    The show will focus on Russell’s Colonel Shaw, an American operative who in 1984 went on a secret mission behind enemy lines in an attempt to stop the Soviets from unleashing a horrific new Titan big enough to destroy the U.S. and turn the tide of the Cold War.

    While Chris Black and Matt Fraction developed the original series, the new one will be overseen by Joby Harold, who has worked on the ‘Monarch’ parent show and has also been responsible for writing on movies including ‘Army of the Dead’ and ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.’

    ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Spin-off: the showrunner and studio speak

    'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,' coming soon to Apple TV+.
    ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.

    Here’s Joby Harold’s statement on the new show:

    “I could not feel more privileged to be a part of building out this wildly iconic universe,” says Harold. “Apple and Legendary have been exemplary partners throughout this process, and we will continue to bring these Titans of cinematic history to audiences with the reverence they deserve.”

    And this was the comment from Apple TV’s head of international development Morgan Wandell:

    “Viewers around the world haven’t been able to get enough of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ since its global debut, and we cannot wait to unleash the electrifying new stories that Joby and the entire cast and creative team have been working on. With Joby at the helm, and alongside our terrific partners at Legendary, this new spinoff will kick off an epic Monsterverse expansion that brings audiences even closer to their favorite Titans along with fantastic character-driven storytelling.”

    When will the ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ spin-off series be on screen?

    Wyatt Russell in 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,' now streaming on Apple TV+.
    Wyatt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.

    There has been no launch date reported for the new series, but the second season of ‘Monarch’ will arrive on Apple TV on February 27.

    Movies Similar to ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’:

    Buy ‘King Kong’ Movies on Amazon

    Buy ‘Godzilla’ Movies and TV on Amazon

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  • ‘Elevation’ Interview: Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin

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    Opening in theaters on November 8th is the new action thriller ‘’Elevation‘, which was directed by George Nolfi (‘The Adjustment Bureau’) and stars Anthony Mackie (‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’) and Morena Baccarin (‘Deadpool & Wolverine’).

    Related Article: Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern Starring in ‘Monsanto’

    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin star in 'Elevation'.
    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin star in ‘Elevation’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin about their work on ‘’Elevation’, Mackie’s character’s journey to save his son, why Baccarin’s character helps him, preparing for the action sequences, and working with director George Nolfi.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Mackie, Baccarin, actress Maddie Hasson and director George Nolfi.

    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Danny Boyd Jr. in 'Elevation'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Danny Boyd Jr. in ‘Elevation’. Photo: Vertical.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Anthony, can you talk about your character’s journey to save his son and the unlikely alliance he is forced to make with Nina?

    Anthony Mackie: Well, it starts off with him in a very tumultuous situation with the loss of his loved one and now the potential loss of his child. So, he’s kind of forced into this position with his balls to the wall and he must make allies and he has to kind of play down his hatred for his enemies to achieve what he wants to achieve. So, he’s kind of put in between a rock and a hard place. He doesn’t want to be there, but it’s something he must do.

    (L to R) Morena Baccarin and Anthony Mackie in 'Elevation'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Morena Baccarin and Anthony Mackie in ‘Elevation’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Morena, can you talk about Nina’s plan to kill the monsters and why she decides to help Will?

    Morena Baccarin: I don’t think she wants to. I think it’s something that she sort of at first does against her will. I think initially it’s a very selfish thing that she does, “If we have a chance to survive, I am that chance, to figure out how to get this thing. I’m almost there. I need to figure out how to kill this thing.” Then I think as she’s going on this journey, she realizes it’s so much bigger than just her and it becomes much more meaningful for her. I think the relationship with Will is obviously very complicated and it’s kind of like the crutch for her that then becomes the thing that she can really rely on and becomes the valuable aspect of her life. Will finds out things about her and why she is who she is, and she also takes a lot of responsibility at that point for what she’s done in his life and the role she’s played in his family’s life.

    (L to R) Morena Baccarin and Anthony Mackie in 'Elevation'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Morena Baccarin and Anthony Mackie in ‘Elevation’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Anthony, can you talk about how you prepared for the action sequences?

    AM: Well, George forced us into altitude acclamation. That’s the stuff he made up for us to do, which he didn’t do! He didn’t do none of the training with us, but it was more so just us going hiking and running every day. It was a lot of physical work because we knew how much running we were going to have to do during shooting. So, the longer we were there, the easier it got. After that first week, I was pretty much adjusted but that first hike was hard.

    (L to R) Morena Baccarin, Maddie Hasson and Anthony Mackie in 'Elevation'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Morena Baccarin, Maddie Hasson and Anthony Mackie in ‘Elevation’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Finally, Morena, can you talk about your training process and working with director George Nolfi on set?

    MB: I was impressed. We all went out on this hike together and Mackie was like a good half a mile ahead of me, I think most of the time. I am like sucking in air and my lungs are burning. Maddie (Hasson), who at the time was smoking a pack a day, was also far ahead. I was like, “What the heck?” Then I realized, of course, she’s 20 years younger, but it did not get easier for me. We had oxygen canisters on set all the time, and I utilized them quite a bit. That elevation is no joke. It was mostly that. It was mostly training and hiking and running and hiking to just feel like we could run at a sprint up a hill if we had to.

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    What is the plot of ‘Elevation’?

    A single father (Anthony Mackie) and two women (Morena Baccarin and Maddie Hasson) must venture from the safety of their home to face monstrous creatures to save the life of a child (Danny Boyd Jr.).

    Who is in the cast of ‘Elevation’?

    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin in 'Elevation'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin in ‘Elevation’. Photo: Vertical.

    List of Anthony Mackie Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Elevation’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Anthony Mackie Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ Sequel to Shoot in Australia

    Godzilla vs. Kong
    Godzilla and King Kong in 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

    Even with the Adam Wingard-directed ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ doing solid (if not monstrous) business at the worldwide box office with $468 million, it looked like the future for the Kaiju might be on TV, with Legendary and Apple teaming up on a potential show.

    Yet, though there has been no official announcement from either Warner Bros. or Legendary, new arrives of a sequel to that monster mash-up from, of all places, the Australian government’s agency Screen Queensland, which confirmed that an untitled new MonsterVerse movie will be shooting in the country this year.

    It’s not all that surprising that the giant beasties would be headed down under, as both ‘Kong: Skull Island’ and ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ shot there. And there are also the tax incentives – the new movie will be granted around $17 million in total in Location Incentives from different agencies.

    “The highly skilled crews, first-rate facilities, and unique locations make filming in Australia a great experience,” says producer Eric McLeod. “The support from both the federal government as well as Queensland has always been critical to our success in achieving a high level of filmmaking and an unparalleled audience experience.”

    Nothing has yet been specified about the story for this latest movie, though Wingard has said that the Hollow Earth storyline established in ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ offers plenty of opportunities for plots going forward. There’s a whole history of the Titans (King Kong and Godzilla are just two of them) to explore.

    Godzilla vs. Kong Poster
    Godzilla and King Kong in 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Photo courtesy of Warne Bros.

    Plus, there’s also a whole host of other creatures waiting in the wings (and with wings) to show their massive faces on film, so expect so more gigantic smackdowns between beasts. And let’s not forget the scheming human side of things, with the Monarch organization still out there.

    Wingard has a few projects bubbling away, including a ‘Face/Off’ sequel, so he may not return for another movie, though he’s said he’d be up for it. We’ll learn in due course who’s involved – if this thing is to shoot in 2022, a script is surely ready (hold your jokes about ‘that wasn’t the case for ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’.)

    As for the TV series, that’s still at a relatively early stage.

    ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ and ‘Outcast’ veteran Chris Black is teaming up with ‘Hawkeye’ comic book writer Matt Fraction for the new show, which will follow the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking new reality that monsters are real. The series explores one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.

    It’s directly connected to the movies but will – even will Apple’s deep pockets –be on a smaller scale to the massive destruction and stakes of those adventures.

    Still, it’s a good time be a Kaiju fan, as Netflix also has an anime show based on ‘Skull Island’, featuring a shipwrecked crew trying to survive the dangerous place, in the works.

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