MONARCH’s Best Effect Is Kurt & Wyatt Russell’s Casting

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The new series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, boasts impressive special effects that make its monsters, or kaiju, look incredibly realistic in every episode. Godzilla and Kong appear as visually stunning on screen as they do in feature films, which is a credit to the talented VFX team. However, the show’s true standout isn’t the CGI – it’s the powerful performance of Kurt and Wyatt Russell, who both play Col. Lee Shaw, a key figure in the Monarch organization. Shaw is a seasoned military veteran with a 70-year history of involvement with the Titans.

The series Monarch jumps between two time periods: the mid-1950s to early 1960s, and 2015-2017. Wyatt Russell (Thunderbolts) portrays a younger version of Lee Shaw, while his father, Kurt Russell, plays the older version of the same character. Due to some time travel involving events in the 1980s, Kurt Russell’s character isn’t quite as old as he would be, but that’s another story. In both time periods, Lee Shaw was a key figure in Monarch’s work to research and comprehend the massive Titans.

Kurt Russell plays Lee Shaw at two different ages, and the older version is noticeably more cynical and quick with a sarcastic remark. Having lived through incredible events, he’s developed a dry, humorous outlook on life. The younger Shaw is more sincere and clearly influenced by his time in the military – he hasn’t become hardened yet, though we start to see hints of that in season two of Monarch. Despite the age difference, Russell manages to portray both versions as the same character, which is a remarkable feat.

Wyatt and Kurt Russell look and sound so much alike, it’s remarkable – and perfectly believable that they play the same character at different ages in the show Monarch. While other series, like Supernatural, have used similar casting choices, Monarch pulls it off better. This is likely because the Russells‘ real-life father-son relationship allows them to deeply explore and refine their characters’ motivations, personalities, and how they would evolve over time.

Initially, the decision to cast a father and son in the roles felt like a publicity stunt. It could have been, especially with less talented actors. However, Kurt Russell is giving one of his strongest performances in years as the older Shaw, perfectly capturing that lovable curmudgeon. His son, Wyatt Russell, previously impressed audiences as John Walker in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, proving he’s a skilled actor beyond his family connections. With roles in the MCU and Monarch, he’s demonstrated enough talent to now be working with Steven Spielberg on the upcoming UFO film, Disclosure Day.

Wyatt Russell is getting his own series set in the past, focusing on his character from Monarch. This allows him to play the role without sharing it with his father, Kurt Russell. While we’ll miss seeing them both portray the same character, we can still enjoy their combined talents in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. It’s possible that the two versions of the character could even appear together on screen someday, similar to how the X-Men films handled different ages of Charles Xavier in Days of Future Past. Given the time-bending nature of the show’s world, anything could happen.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Editor’s Note: TopMob is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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2026-03-06 23:03