March 7, 2026 • 24 mins
The Monsterverse is getting even bigger - and more personal. Kurt and Wyatt Russell join to discuss Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
In this episode of Pop Culture Weekly, Kyle McMahon goes inside Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two with the people bringing the world of Titans to life. First, producer Tory Tunnell joins Kyle to break down how the series expands Legendary’s Monsterverse for television while still keeping the human story at the center. From dual timelines to emotional consequences, she explains why Monarch isn’t just about giant monsters.
Then Kyle sits down with stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, and Joe Tippett to talk about stepping into a franchise filled with Godzilla-sized expectations and how the show balances spectacle with character.
Finally, Kyle is joined by Hollywood legend Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt Russell, who share what it’s like playing the same character across two timelines and why the Monsterverse still has new stories to tell.
If you dig the show, subscribe, rate, and share - and tell your friend who's always stealing your streaming passwords.
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In this episode of Pop Culture Weekly, Kyle McMahon goes inside Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two with the people bringing the world of Titans to life. First, producer Tory Tunnell joins Kyle to break down how the series expands Legendary’s Monsterverse for television while still keeping the human story at the center. From dual timelines to emotional consequences, she explains why Monarch isn’t just about giant monsters.
Then Kyle sits down with stars Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, and Joe Tippett to talk about stepping into a franchise filled with Godzilla-sized expectations and how the show balances spectacle with character.
Finally, Kyle is joined by Hollywood legend Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt Russell, who share what it’s like playing the same character across two timelines and why the Monsterverse still has new stories to tell.
If you dig the show, subscribe, rate, and share - and tell your friend who's always stealing your streaming passwords.
📍 Watch now on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast platform
🎧 Subscribe for more celeb interviews, streaming picks and pop culture deep dives!
🗣️ Want to be featured on the show? 📱 Leave a voicemail here!
📧 Join the newsletter to get exclusive content, interviews & more once a week! Subscribe here!
--------------------------
Kyle McMahon's Death, Grief & Other Sh*t We Don't Discuss is now streaming. Listen here!
--------------------------
Get all the Pop Culture Weekly podcast info you could want including extra content, uncut interviews, photos, videos & transcripts at Podcast.PopCultureWeekly.com
Read the latest at PopCultureWeekly.com
Get Social with Kyle on:
Kyle McMahon Facebook
Kyle McMahon Instagram
Kyle McMahon TikTok
Pop Culture Weekly YouTube
Kyle McMahon Website
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, It's all about Monarch.
It's all about Monarch Legacy of Monsters with Wyatt Russell
and Kurt Russell.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon
from my Heart Radio your pop culture news, views, reviews
and celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music and
pop culture u CRABE Weekly. Here's Kyle McMahon.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Nerd No No Nerd Nerd, Hello and welcome to pop
Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I of course am Kyle McMahon,
and today we are going inside the monster Verse. I've
got Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell joining me to talk
about season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV. Yes,
(00:52):
actual Russell family chaos on screen, off screen, and possibly
in between. We talk Lego, we talk giant monsters, we
talk what it's like working together as father and son
inside of franchise built on literal Godzilla sized mythology, and
trust me, they don't disappoint. And not only am I
(01:14):
talking with Kurt and Wyatt Russell, but I'm talking to
producer Tory Tunnell and co stars Ana. So why Kirsey
Clemens and Joe Tippett all about this universe, this monster verse,
and why it works on TV. You know, we know
it works on the big screen, look at the box
(01:34):
office numbers. But this works as a series too, and
I find that fascinating. I believe it's because it's more personal,
you know, it's it can get deeper into the weeds
if you will. So great episode today, quicker reminder. If
you want extended interviews, deep dives, breakdowns, reviews that go
way beyond what we do here, because you know, I
(01:57):
don't want to take hours and hours of your time everyday,
head on over to my YouTube channel, pop Culture Weekly.
You've got full interviews, a ton of video exclusives, film
and music analysis, and yes, occasionally me ranting about things
Hollywood absolutely should have asked me about. First obviously, just
search pop Culture Weekly on YouTube and hit subscribe. All right,
(02:21):
so I want to zoom out for a minute, because
giant cinematic universes don't just happen. They really are built
carefully and strategically, and sometimes under intense pressure from you know,
people like me, fanboys who will absolutely notice if a
single timeline detail doesn't line up. So joining me now
(02:45):
is Monarch Legacy of Monsters producer Tory Tunnel. Tory and
I talk about expanding the monster verse for television, balancing
human drama with you know, these giant blockbuster scale and
how season two raises the stakes without losing the emotional
core that made season one resonate with people. It really
(03:07):
was so good. Yes, we love monsters, but if we
don't care about the humans, it's just very expensive stomping,
which you know isn't necessarily a bad thing, but that's
not what Monarch does. So here she is. Tory Sunnel,
thank you so much, Story for joining me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So tell me what drew you to Monarch. You know
you're an executive producer. Why was this something that you
were like, I want to do that series.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I think what's been so exciting to us from the
jump is that you get to have this collision in
television of absolutely magnificent theatrical spectacle. But we also got
to do a deep dive on these character driven stories,
and I think that that's something that hadn't been done before.
And when you're looking, we had such an incredible depth
of cannon and so many wonderful movies from the Toho
(04:04):
to the legendary films. You can't compete with them. They're amazing.
And so what we got to do is how do
we do it from the inside out? How do we
tell these character driven stories in a world where monsters
are real? And it's always fun for us to have
those challenges and we you know, at Safe As Pictures,
we've had a lot of experience in doing these big
temple features and being able to channel that in a
(04:24):
really character driven world was incredibly fun.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I love that. And you know, you bring up a
really great point that so many of the you know,
these films are such big blockbuster you know, but in
a two hour film, how much can you really get
into the nitty gritty and you can on you know,
a series. So the other thing that I think is
really interesting is the dual kind of timeline thing. How
(04:49):
did that come about?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
I love that, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We had a lot of fun with that, and part
of it is being able to give the context, you know,
the question you see in the later movies. You you know,
everyone is outfit with monarch logos, monarch suitcases. You know,
how did this organization become well funded?
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Who are they?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Where did it all start, and we love the idea
of being able to look back and imagine what that
may have looked like, and also not doing it from
just a historical perspective, but really thinking about the fact
that humans are messy, humans have you know, interpersonal issues,
and what does it look like to be the birth
of an organization where you have real human emotions and
different wants and needs and different you know, interpersonal dynamics,
(05:27):
And to be able to then carry those same characters
into our present day and be able to sort of
see how does someone grow over time? And you know,
if you've had a chance to see season one, we
also get to see that you have a little bit
of the Rip van Winkle experience with a couple of
our characters who have been able to jump through time
by by missing out through time dilation. That gives us
(05:50):
all kinds of meaty storylines to be able to chase.
That makes it incredibly fun and fresh.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
And finally, for you, you know, with season two, it
really expands you know, everything even further. Were what were
the beats that you wanted to like when you were like,
we're doing season two, what was your kind of overall
theme that you wanted to hit well.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
We talked a lot about the fact that audiences really
responded to this story that you know, they came for Godzilla,
they came for Kurt Russell, and they were delighted with
what they got from those stories, but they also really
responded to this idea of seeing this smaller, intimate story
about this man who had two families and why did
he have two families? And we felt like, let's let's
(06:36):
continue to look at that. We have this title Legacy
of Monsters, and we always talk about the fact that
sometimes a monster in our show is three hundred feet tall.
Sometimes it's a person saying next to you. And you know,
with that two timeline, we're able to really look at
choices that are made and what the consequences of those
choices are, and how monsters in our own life are
created and sometimes are we responsible for them? And sometimes
(06:58):
are we the monster? And those are all sort of thematically.
We look at hurt people, hurt people, and we look
at that idea of who is the monster in our
own life, and we all that's part of where we land.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I love it and I think you've done that and
more with season two. Thank you so much. To where
I really appreciate it. Thank you, ton.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
My.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Thanks to her for that behind the scenes insight. It's
always fascinating I think to hear how something this massive
comes together, you know what I mean, movies series, How
do you translate that and make it good still and
make people care? And I think Tory and the crew
(07:43):
has really done a good job of that. Now, Monarch
isn't just about secret agencies and legacy families. It's about
the people caught in the blast radius of a world
that suddenly includes these Titans, and in season two, those
emotional consequences hit even so I speak with Anna Sohi,
(08:03):
Kirsey Clemens, and Joe Tippett, who bring heart, vulnerability, and
grounded intensity to a universe that could easily get lost.
In Spectacle, we talk about stepping into you know, this
already established monster verse that we've seen on the big screen,
finding humanity inside large scale chaos, and what audiences can
(08:24):
expect as their characters evolve this season, because surviving a
monster attack is one thing, but living with it that
is something else. Entirely here they are Annasahi, Karsey Clemens,
and Joe Tippett.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Thank you all for joining me. I really appreciate it. Hi, Hi,
nice meeting you. So.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
First of all, congratulations on season two. I love that
it continues to explore this world that I love being
in so much. One of the reasons that I think
I love Monarch so much is that it is it
allows this chance to dive deeper into stories that we
might not have been able to in the films. I
(09:09):
wonder if that was what drew any of you to it.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
I think for me, I was looking to do something
that was quite fun and where I could laugh on
set because I had just come off a very serious
show and so that was my introduction to it. But
it's always nice doing TV because you do have so
much time to explore the characters and to tell their stories.
(09:34):
Especially coming back this season was like we knew each
other like family, and then to you know, expand even more.
That's always exciting.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
I feel like the show, as I've said, it's like
a Goldilocks show for an actor, because the scenes are
like there's meat on the bones. It's like there are
real relationships and real character arts and stuff like that.
But then you also get to do all the fun
stuff like getting buried in sand, and jumping and getting thrown. Yeah,
(10:07):
it's like a little a little bit of both.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
You get dessert and andre.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
How about for you here?
Speaker 7 (10:13):
What was the question again?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (10:15):
What what was it? The diving?
Speaker 7 (10:19):
Oh yeah, the movie? Yeah, uh, I dove in to
the world because of the show. The Uh that was I'm.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Answering the question, right, Yeah was it you all didn't.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Y'all gonna track a little bit?
Speaker 5 (10:34):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:34):
I was.
Speaker 7 (10:34):
I mean I had seen, Uh, I knew the world,
but the show is what allowed me to really and
there was a way to become a fan, I suppose,
because it's not necessarily a genre for me to seek
out on my own. What he doesn't believe I'm making
it all up. I know im No, it's the truth.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
No, it's a human story that we get to really
develop in the show.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
So it's but those those first like those first scripts
were like really really good.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
I feel like reading those was like, oh, this is
like it's something different, So like, yeah, I think from
the jump it.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Was like, oh this feels different.
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah. When I watched that the first episode of season one,
I was like, holy crap, this is like something we
haven't seen before. Because I don't really know of you know,
another project that has had these big, huge, successful movies
and then done a show taking place in the world
that gives so much character development and it's just as
big as the movies.
Speaker 8 (11:29):
You know.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
It's not like it's not like it's ignoring the Titans,
you know, and I mean it really just goes there both,
you know, in spectacle and story so.
Speaker 6 (11:41):
Ye and then Sean the FX guys and legendary and
everybody get in mind the show of the Plant because
it looks cinema like it's the same same Titans from
from the movies.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, for season two, as you all you know, you
hear season two is coming and you start reading the
screw did you is there like some fan bling that
you get as you were like, oh, I can't wait
to see what happens and you know that sort of thing,
or are you like, Okay, no, this was you know,
my next project and I'm going to like, how how
(12:14):
does that work for the three of you for this show?
Speaker 9 (12:17):
In season two? When you were reading the script, oh,
I don't know, I feel like I was just excited
to see these guys like because of the like, uh,
the camaraderie of the cast.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
I think, so it was just nice to be back
like on set with everybody. But as far as you
know how the thing is unfolding, sometimes it's like the
we're not far enough ahead in the writing. So but
so it's just like you're waiting for the scripts to
come in. So yeah, there is a lot of anticipation
of like, I can't wait to see what happens, but
(12:51):
sometimes it takes longer than you wanted to.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
But I think when we were reading the scripts, I
was really excited when I saw it like Gotza or
can Call, like all these monsters that we know. It
was like, oh my gosh, they're going to show up
like this. And then sometimes it'll be a completely new
character that I'm like, I have no idea what this
is going to look like, and then we look at
a board or the previous and get really excited looking
at Yeah, what it's gonna be.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
That was a better answer. Use her answer. What do
you think people will take from season two?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
They take from season two?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I think a big theme is consequences. We were uncovering
a lot of secrets and we see what people have
chosen and how that affects the characters. In the modern
world and it's like, Wow, there's a lot has been sacrificed,
a lot has been they you know, a lot of
(13:52):
characters have made mistakes and it's affected a lot of
loved ones. I don't know, like it's it's quite hard
breaking sometimes. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
I think on the micro level, like the the deepening
of the characters, I think they'll take away. And on
the macro level, I think it is sort of like
what do you do when there's an existential threat? And
there are really great competing ideas that have been posited
by the show, So I think it'll be interesting to
see if there are like team do this and team
(14:23):
do that.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Yeah, yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Finally, what if if there were Titans in our world?
Where do you think?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
What would you do?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Would you be hiding.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Something you run buddy?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I mean, I mean, would you like, do you have
like a like a what do they call it a
bug out plant or whatever? Like you would you know,
go to some cabin in Montana or something I'm finding.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Like a bunker.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Yeah, I'm hiding in the closet exactly.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
Drinking all the moonshine in my bug out back.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
That moonshine.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
I don't know what I'm minding the closet, I guess.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Thank you all so much. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I can't wait for everybody to see Monarch Legacy a
Monster season two on Apple. Thank you, Na, Kirsy and Joe.
Season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters continues to expand
the Monster Verse in ways that feel bigger but also smaller,
you know, more personal, and that balance, I believe is
(15:30):
what makes Monarch work. And speaking of Legacy, when we
come back from this quick break, I'm going to be
talking to the Russells, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell back here
in sixty All right, let's talk about monsters. If you're
(15:53):
not watching Monarch Legacy of Monsters yet, here's your quick primer.
It expands. Let there is Monster Verse, you know, the
same universe as Godzilla and Kang, but instead of just
city smashing spectacle, which there is plenty of, it also
focuses on the people. So Monarch is the shadow organization
(16:15):
tracking these Titans, who are those ancient massive creatures wreaking
havoc on our planet. Season one gave us dual timelines
and family secrets and the emotional fallout of living in
a world where skyscrapers can be stepped on. And season two,
these stakes get even bigger, the mythology deepens and the
(16:39):
Russell family boys become even more central to the story.
Kurt and Wyat are playing the same character, but in
two different timelines, in two different you know, two different ages.
So the show isn't just about the monsters. It's about legacy,
it's about time, it's about love and fear, and it's
(17:00):
about what happens when the world changes and you're left
trying to make sense of it, which is why it
makes so much sense that I have Wyatt and Kurt
Russell joining. They are legacy, you know, Kurt Russell from
everything from Escape from New York to Tombstone to the
Thing and basically half of modern genre cinema. And Wyatt Russell,
(17:23):
who has built a career that's completely his own, from
playing Captain America in the Marvel Universe, the Falcon and
Winter Soldier to Under the Banner of Heaven, which was amazing,
and I talked to that cast show linked to that
show in the show notes, and he's now continuing the
monster Verse story and monarch legacy of monsters in season
(17:46):
two their characters journey their character's character. I don't know
how to say it when they're both playing the same character,
but the journey deepens in ways that are epic and
pretty personal. So, you know, I had to ask them
what it's like exploring a legacy on a show about
monsters when you're literally father and son. How can you
(18:08):
get more legacy than that? So here they are, Kurt
and Wyatt Russell the congrats on season two of Monarch.
It's really such an exciting expansion into you know, this
world that in this particular instance, you know, started with
(18:29):
season one. I wonder what drew both of you two
these or this this role, this role, these two roles.
I mean, it's one character, but you know what threw
you to it?
Speaker 5 (18:41):
That was it?
Speaker 10 (18:42):
I mean, yeah, primarily that was it. It was an
opportunity to do something that we found out later on
no two known actors of Father and Son and played
the same character, one in an earlier era another later area.
But it was also the opportunity to take a genre
and say, can we you know, can we do something
with this that in our eyes upgraded it to a
(19:05):
what if? What if this really happened? If we treat
it that way rather than just sort of, uh, the
really fun of watching uh, two giant beasts, you know,
beat the hell out of each other. And and I
think that it was that that it was that potential
that also drew me.
Speaker 11 (19:24):
Yeah, the chat. It's the challenge of taking something that
in the past has been probably more considered an m
M A fight type entertainment vehicle and turning it into
something that had more depth. That was a fun challenge
to take on. And I think that we responded to
that as well.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
I love that, and I wonder if this was for
both of you. But why, I'll start with you. Was
there ever a time during filming or watching you know,
dailies or the finished product where you were like, that's
that's my dad, you know, a great scene or or
a great moment, And same same for you, Kurt, that
you were like, that's that's my boy.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
No.
Speaker 11 (20:08):
I look, I think everybody in our family have a
high bar of expectation that you're like that that has
been set for a very long time. So when you
see somebody do something really well, you do have a
sense of pride that like, yeah, you know, we're good
at this, We're good at this we're good at making
this this believable, or you know, there's there's surprises that
(20:32):
you see that you go, oh wow. I didn't think
that was gonna work as well as it did. There's
a scene in this show that I just get excited
for for people to watch other sides of, you know,
for me, for my dad, the humor element that you
(20:52):
don't get you can get to see a ton of.
In season one. There's a scene and I think episode
four that I just had me cracking up because I
know my dad and I know his humor and there's
specific things that I just know are so funny that
don't always come out in every movie because they didn't
allow for it. But in these longer episodes an episodic show,
(21:16):
you do have a room to play with things. And
so that specifically for me, was something that made me
feel really happy because I was like, oh, yeah, he's
really funny and it can be really funny, and so
that seeing that was I loved.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
I loved that my.
Speaker 10 (21:31):
Experience with it was was firsthand because in the first
season I was able to go on I had a
day off very early on, and why it was working
with a separate crew and it was the first scene
that the character is introduced in and I suddenly realized
when I was there watching it, I was having a
good time watching Why, but then I watched very quickly
(21:52):
my attention turned to what he was doing with the character,
and I kind of suddenly realized, Oh, yeah, he's laying
this thing down. This is what they're first going to see.
I have to I have to match this. I have
to be and I started paying attention to a lot
of different things, and watching him do those things was
really fun. It was like, yeah, he's he's doing this
(22:13):
is Oh yeah, that's a good idea.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
That's good.
Speaker 10 (22:15):
That's really well done. And I was like, okay, I
I I you know, I don't have to I don't
have to play ball here.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
I love both of you in this and everything that
you've done. I can't wait for everybody to see Monarch
Legacy Monster season two so I can start talking about
it to people.
Speaker 10 (22:32):
Thank you, thank you, yeah, thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Have a good deck. Curt and Wyatt Russell, Why and
Kurt Russell, thank you so much to them for joining me.
Season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters is streaming right now.
On Apple TV. And if you're in the grounded sci
fi with giant monsters and emotional weight and an occasional
(22:58):
skyscraper issue, this series is for you. I really do
love it all right. That's this episode for pop Culture Weekly.
If you've enjoyed the conversation, make sure you're subscribed wherever
you're listening, and again for the video interviews and deep dives,
head to YouTube and search pop Culture Weekly. You can
also follow me on socials at real Kyle McMahon for
(23:20):
you know, all kinds of pop culture stuff, quick hits
and behind the scenes moments from interviews like this one.
So until next episode, keep watching, keep questioning, keep celebrating
the stories that shape our culture. I'm Kyle McMahon. This
is pop Culture Weekly. I love you, We.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here all
the latest at Popcultureweekly, dot.
Speaker 8 (23:44):
Com mons, whos mons, wos alone with men? It's so scary,
It's so sky gary?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Which one is more scary? You'll have to tune and
see
In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, It's all about Monarch.
It's all about Monarch Legacy of Monsters with Wyatt Russell
and Kurt Russell.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon
from my Heart Radio your pop culture news, views, reviews
and celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music and
pop culture u CRABE Weekly. Here's Kyle McMahon.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Nerd No No Nerd Nerd, Hello and welcome to pop
Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I of course am Kyle McMahon,
and today we are going inside the monster Verse. I've
got Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell joining me to talk
about season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV. Yes,
(00:52):
actual Russell family chaos on screen, off screen, and possibly
in between. We talk Lego, we talk giant monsters, we
talk what it's like working together as father and son
inside of franchise built on literal Godzilla sized mythology, and
trust me, they don't disappoint. And not only am I
(01:14):
talking with Kurt and Wyatt Russell, but I'm talking to
producer Tory Tunnell and co stars Ana. So why Kirsey
Clemens and Joe Tippett all about this universe, this monster verse,
and why it works on TV. You know, we know
it works on the big screen, look at the box
(01:34):
office numbers. But this works as a series too, and
I find that fascinating. I believe it's because it's more personal,
you know, it's it can get deeper into the weeds
if you will. So great episode today, quicker reminder. If
you want extended interviews, deep dives, breakdowns, reviews that go
way beyond what we do here, because you know, I
(01:57):
don't want to take hours and hours of your time everyday,
head on over to my YouTube channel, pop Culture Weekly.
You've got full interviews, a ton of video exclusives, film
and music analysis, and yes, occasionally me ranting about things
Hollywood absolutely should have asked me about. First obviously, just
search pop Culture Weekly on YouTube and hit subscribe. All right,
(02:21):
so I want to zoom out for a minute, because
giant cinematic universes don't just happen. They really are built
carefully and strategically, and sometimes under intense pressure from you know,
people like me, fanboys who will absolutely notice if a
single timeline detail doesn't line up. So joining me now
(02:45):
is Monarch Legacy of Monsters producer Tory Tunnel. Tory and
I talk about expanding the monster verse for television, balancing
human drama with you know, these giant blockbuster scale and
how season two raises the stakes without losing the emotional
core that made season one resonate with people. It really
(03:07):
was so good. Yes, we love monsters, but if we
don't care about the humans, it's just very expensive stomping,
which you know isn't necessarily a bad thing, but that's
not what Monarch does. So here she is. Tory Sunnel,
thank you so much, Story for joining me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So tell me what drew you to Monarch. You know
you're an executive producer. Why was this something that you
were like, I want to do that series.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
I think what's been so exciting to us from the
jump is that you get to have this collision in
television of absolutely magnificent theatrical spectacle. But we also got
to do a deep dive on these character driven stories,
and I think that that's something that hadn't been done before.
And when you're looking, we had such an incredible depth
of cannon and so many wonderful movies from the Toho
(04:04):
to the legendary films. You can't compete with them. They're amazing.
And so what we got to do is how do
we do it from the inside out? How do we
tell these character driven stories in a world where monsters
are real? And it's always fun for us to have
those challenges and we you know, at Safe As Pictures,
we've had a lot of experience in doing these big
temple features and being able to channel that in a
(04:24):
really character driven world was incredibly fun.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I love that. And you know, you bring up a
really great point that so many of the you know,
these films are such big blockbuster you know, but in
a two hour film, how much can you really get
into the nitty gritty and you can on you know,
a series. So the other thing that I think is
really interesting is the dual kind of timeline thing. How
(04:49):
did that come about?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
I love that, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
We had a lot of fun with that, and part
of it is being able to give the context, you know,
the question you see in the later movies. You you know,
everyone is outfit with monarch logos, monarch suitcases. You know,
how did this organization become well funded?
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Who are they?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Where did it all start, and we love the idea
of being able to look back and imagine what that
may have looked like, and also not doing it from
just a historical perspective, but really thinking about the fact
that humans are messy, humans have you know, interpersonal issues,
and what does it look like to be the birth
of an organization where you have real human emotions and
different wants and needs and different you know, interpersonal dynamics,
(05:27):
And to be able to then carry those same characters
into our present day and be able to sort of
see how does someone grow over time? And you know,
if you've had a chance to see season one, we
also get to see that you have a little bit
of the Rip van Winkle experience with a couple of
our characters who have been able to jump through time
by by missing out through time dilation. That gives us
(05:50):
all kinds of meaty storylines to be able to chase.
That makes it incredibly fun and fresh.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
And finally, for you, you know, with season two, it
really expands you know, everything even further. Were what were
the beats that you wanted to like when you were like,
we're doing season two, what was your kind of overall
theme that you wanted to hit well.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
We talked a lot about the fact that audiences really
responded to this story that you know, they came for Godzilla,
they came for Kurt Russell, and they were delighted with
what they got from those stories, but they also really
responded to this idea of seeing this smaller, intimate story
about this man who had two families and why did
he have two families? And we felt like, let's let's
(06:36):
continue to look at that. We have this title Legacy
of Monsters, and we always talk about the fact that
sometimes a monster in our show is three hundred feet tall.
Sometimes it's a person saying next to you. And you know,
with that two timeline, we're able to really look at
choices that are made and what the consequences of those
choices are, and how monsters in our own life are
created and sometimes are we responsible for them? And sometimes
(06:58):
are we the monster? And those are all sort of thematically.
We look at hurt people, hurt people, and we look
at that idea of who is the monster in our
own life, and we all that's part of where we land.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I love it and I think you've done that and
more with season two. Thank you so much. To where
I really appreciate it. Thank you, ton.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
My.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Thanks to her for that behind the scenes insight. It's
always fascinating I think to hear how something this massive
comes together, you know what I mean, movies series, How
do you translate that and make it good still and
make people care? And I think Tory and the crew
(07:43):
has really done a good job of that. Now, Monarch
isn't just about secret agencies and legacy families. It's about
the people caught in the blast radius of a world
that suddenly includes these Titans, and in season two, those
emotional consequences hit even so I speak with Anna Sohi,
(08:03):
Kirsey Clemens, and Joe Tippett, who bring heart, vulnerability, and
grounded intensity to a universe that could easily get lost.
In Spectacle, we talk about stepping into you know, this
already established monster verse that we've seen on the big screen,
finding humanity inside large scale chaos, and what audiences can
(08:24):
expect as their characters evolve this season, because surviving a
monster attack is one thing, but living with it that
is something else. Entirely here they are Annasahi, Karsey Clemens,
and Joe Tippett.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Thank you all for joining me. I really appreciate it. Hi, Hi,
nice meeting you. So.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
First of all, congratulations on season two. I love that
it continues to explore this world that I love being
in so much. One of the reasons that I think
I love Monarch so much is that it is it
allows this chance to dive deeper into stories that we
might not have been able to in the films. I
(09:09):
wonder if that was what drew any of you to it.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
I think for me, I was looking to do something
that was quite fun and where I could laugh on
set because I had just come off a very serious
show and so that was my introduction to it. But
it's always nice doing TV because you do have so
much time to explore the characters and to tell their stories.
(09:34):
Especially coming back this season was like we knew each
other like family, and then to you know, expand even more.
That's always exciting.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
I feel like the show, as I've said, it's like
a Goldilocks show for an actor, because the scenes are
like there's meat on the bones. It's like there are
real relationships and real character arts and stuff like that.
But then you also get to do all the fun
stuff like getting buried in sand, and jumping and getting thrown. Yeah,
(10:07):
it's like a little a little bit of both.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
You get dessert and andre.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
How about for you here?
Speaker 7 (10:13):
What was the question again?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (10:15):
What what was it? The diving?
Speaker 7 (10:19):
Oh yeah, the movie? Yeah, uh, I dove in to
the world because of the show. The Uh that was I'm.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Answering the question, right, Yeah was it you all didn't.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Y'all gonna track a little bit?
Speaker 5 (10:34):
No?
Speaker 1 (10:34):
I was.
Speaker 7 (10:34):
I mean I had seen, Uh, I knew the world,
but the show is what allowed me to really and
there was a way to become a fan, I suppose,
because it's not necessarily a genre for me to seek
out on my own. What he doesn't believe I'm making
it all up. I know im No, it's the truth.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
No, it's a human story that we get to really
develop in the show.
Speaker 4 (10:57):
So it's but those those first like those first scripts
were like really really good.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
I feel like reading those was like, oh, this is
like it's something different, So like, yeah, I think from
the jump it.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Was like, oh this feels different.
Speaker 6 (11:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Yeah. When I watched that the first episode of season one,
I was like, holy crap, this is like something we
haven't seen before. Because I don't really know of you know,
another project that has had these big, huge, successful movies
and then done a show taking place in the world
that gives so much character development and it's just as
big as the movies.
Speaker 8 (11:29):
You know.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
It's not like it's not like it's ignoring the Titans,
you know, and I mean it really just goes there both,
you know, in spectacle and story so.
Speaker 6 (11:41):
Ye and then Sean the FX guys and legendary and
everybody get in mind the show of the Plant because
it looks cinema like it's the same same Titans from
from the movies.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, for season two, as you all you know, you
hear season two is coming and you start reading the
screw did you is there like some fan bling that
you get as you were like, oh, I can't wait
to see what happens and you know that sort of thing,
or are you like, Okay, no, this was you know,
my next project and I'm going to like, how how
(12:14):
does that work for the three of you for this show?
Speaker 9 (12:17):
In season two? When you were reading the script, oh,
I don't know, I feel like I was just excited
to see these guys like because of the like, uh,
the camaraderie of the cast.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
I think, so it was just nice to be back
like on set with everybody. But as far as you
know how the thing is unfolding, sometimes it's like the
we're not far enough ahead in the writing. So but
so it's just like you're waiting for the scripts to
come in. So yeah, there is a lot of anticipation
of like, I can't wait to see what happens, but
(12:51):
sometimes it takes longer than you wanted to.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
But I think when we were reading the scripts, I
was really excited when I saw it like Gotza or
can Call, like all these monsters that we know. It
was like, oh my gosh, they're going to show up
like this. And then sometimes it'll be a completely new
character that I'm like, I have no idea what this
is going to look like, and then we look at
a board or the previous and get really excited looking
at Yeah, what it's gonna be.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
That was a better answer. Use her answer. What do
you think people will take from season two?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
They take from season two?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I think a big theme is consequences. We were uncovering
a lot of secrets and we see what people have
chosen and how that affects the characters. In the modern
world and it's like, Wow, there's a lot has been sacrificed,
a lot has been they you know, a lot of
(13:52):
characters have made mistakes and it's affected a lot of
loved ones. I don't know, like it's it's quite hard
breaking sometimes. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
I think on the micro level, like the the deepening
of the characters, I think they'll take away. And on
the macro level, I think it is sort of like
what do you do when there's an existential threat? And
there are really great competing ideas that have been posited
by the show, So I think it'll be interesting to
see if there are like team do this and team
(14:23):
do that.
Speaker 5 (14:24):
Yeah, yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Finally, what if if there were Titans in our world?
Where do you think?
Speaker 4 (14:32):
What would you do?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Would you be hiding.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Something you run buddy?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I mean, I mean, would you like, do you have
like a like a what do they call it a
bug out plant or whatever? Like you would you know,
go to some cabin in Montana or something I'm finding.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Like a bunker.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Yeah, I'm hiding in the closet exactly.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
Drinking all the moonshine in my bug out back.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
That moonshine.
Speaker 7 (15:01):
I don't know what I'm minding the closet, I guess.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Thank you all so much. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
I can't wait for everybody to see Monarch Legacy a
Monster season two on Apple. Thank you, Na, Kirsy and Joe.
Season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters continues to expand
the Monster Verse in ways that feel bigger but also smaller,
you know, more personal, and that balance, I believe is
(15:30):
what makes Monarch work. And speaking of Legacy, when we
come back from this quick break, I'm going to be
talking to the Russells, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell back here
in sixty All right, let's talk about monsters. If you're
(15:53):
not watching Monarch Legacy of Monsters yet, here's your quick primer.
It expands. Let there is Monster Verse, you know, the
same universe as Godzilla and Kang, but instead of just
city smashing spectacle, which there is plenty of, it also
focuses on the people. So Monarch is the shadow organization
(16:15):
tracking these Titans, who are those ancient massive creatures wreaking
havoc on our planet. Season one gave us dual timelines
and family secrets and the emotional fallout of living in
a world where skyscrapers can be stepped on. And season two,
these stakes get even bigger, the mythology deepens and the
(16:39):
Russell family boys become even more central to the story.
Kurt and Wyat are playing the same character, but in
two different timelines, in two different you know, two different ages.
So the show isn't just about the monsters. It's about legacy,
it's about time, it's about love and fear, and it's
(17:00):
about what happens when the world changes and you're left
trying to make sense of it, which is why it
makes so much sense that I have Wyatt and Kurt
Russell joining. They are legacy, you know, Kurt Russell from
everything from Escape from New York to Tombstone to the
Thing and basically half of modern genre cinema. And Wyatt Russell,
(17:23):
who has built a career that's completely his own, from
playing Captain America in the Marvel Universe, the Falcon and
Winter Soldier to Under the Banner of Heaven, which was amazing,
and I talked to that cast show linked to that
show in the show notes, and he's now continuing the
monster Verse story and monarch legacy of monsters in season
(17:46):
two their characters journey their character's character. I don't know
how to say it when they're both playing the same character,
but the journey deepens in ways that are epic and
pretty personal. So, you know, I had to ask them
what it's like exploring a legacy on a show about
monsters when you're literally father and son. How can you
(18:08):
get more legacy than that? So here they are, Kurt
and Wyatt Russell the congrats on season two of Monarch.
It's really such an exciting expansion into you know, this
world that in this particular instance, you know, started with
(18:29):
season one. I wonder what drew both of you two
these or this this role, this role, these two roles.
I mean, it's one character, but you know what threw
you to it?
Speaker 5 (18:41):
That was it?
Speaker 10 (18:42):
I mean, yeah, primarily that was it. It was an
opportunity to do something that we found out later on
no two known actors of Father and Son and played
the same character, one in an earlier era another later area.
But it was also the opportunity to take a genre
and say, can we you know, can we do something
with this that in our eyes upgraded it to a
(19:05):
what if? What if this really happened? If we treat
it that way rather than just sort of, uh, the
really fun of watching uh, two giant beasts, you know,
beat the hell out of each other. And and I
think that it was that that it was that potential
that also drew me.
Speaker 11 (19:24):
Yeah, the chat. It's the challenge of taking something that
in the past has been probably more considered an m
M A fight type entertainment vehicle and turning it into
something that had more depth. That was a fun challenge
to take on. And I think that we responded to
that as well.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
I love that, and I wonder if this was for
both of you. But why, I'll start with you. Was
there ever a time during filming or watching you know,
dailies or the finished product where you were like, that's
that's my dad, you know, a great scene or or
a great moment, And same same for you, Kurt, that
you were like, that's that's my boy.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
No.
Speaker 11 (20:08):
I look, I think everybody in our family have a
high bar of expectation that you're like that that has
been set for a very long time. So when you
see somebody do something really well, you do have a
sense of pride that like, yeah, you know, we're good
at this, We're good at this we're good at making
this this believable, or you know, there's there's surprises that
(20:32):
you see that you go, oh wow. I didn't think
that was gonna work as well as it did. There's
a scene in this show that I just get excited
for for people to watch other sides of, you know,
for me, for my dad, the humor element that you
(20:52):
don't get you can get to see a ton of.
In season one. There's a scene and I think episode
four that I just had me cracking up because I
know my dad and I know his humor and there's
specific things that I just know are so funny that
don't always come out in every movie because they didn't
allow for it. But in these longer episodes an episodic show,
(21:16):
you do have a room to play with things. And
so that specifically for me, was something that made me
feel really happy because I was like, oh, yeah, he's
really funny and it can be really funny, and so
that seeing that was I loved.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
I loved that my.
Speaker 10 (21:31):
Experience with it was was firsthand because in the first
season I was able to go on I had a
day off very early on, and why it was working
with a separate crew and it was the first scene
that the character is introduced in and I suddenly realized
when I was there watching it, I was having a
good time watching Why, but then I watched very quickly
(21:52):
my attention turned to what he was doing with the character,
and I kind of suddenly realized, Oh, yeah, he's laying
this thing down. This is what they're first going to see.
I have to I have to match this. I have
to be and I started paying attention to a lot
of different things, and watching him do those things was
really fun. It was like, yeah, he's he's doing this
(22:13):
is Oh yeah, that's a good idea.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
That's good.
Speaker 10 (22:15):
That's really well done. And I was like, okay, I
I I you know, I don't have to I don't
have to play ball here.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
I love both of you in this and everything that
you've done. I can't wait for everybody to see Monarch
Legacy Monster season two so I can start talking about
it to people.
Speaker 10 (22:32):
Thank you, thank you, yeah, thank you, guys.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Have a good deck. Curt and Wyatt Russell, Why and
Kurt Russell, thank you so much to them for joining me.
Season two of Monarch Legacy of Monsters is streaming right now.
On Apple TV. And if you're in the grounded sci
fi with giant monsters and emotional weight and an occasional
(22:58):
skyscraper issue, this series is for you. I really do
love it all right. That's this episode for pop Culture Weekly.
If you've enjoyed the conversation, make sure you're subscribed wherever
you're listening, and again for the video interviews and deep dives,
head to YouTube and search pop Culture Weekly. You can
also follow me on socials at real Kyle McMahon for
(23:20):
you know, all kinds of pop culture stuff, quick hits
and behind the scenes moments from interviews like this one.
So until next episode, keep watching, keep questioning, keep celebrating
the stories that shape our culture. I'm Kyle McMahon. This
is pop Culture Weekly. I love you, We.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here all
the latest at Popcultureweekly, dot.
Speaker 8 (23:44):
Com mons, whos mons, wos alone with men? It's so scary,
It's so sky gary?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Which one is more scary? You'll have to tune and
see
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