Release Order Recommended
0 / 5 watchedThe order the films came out in theaters. This is how Legendary paced the reveals and the recommended first watch.
Chronological Order
0 / 5 watchedStory order by setting. Kong: Skull Island moves to the front because of its 1973 expedition, and the rest follows the release run unchanged.
About MonsterVerse
Five films so far, with a sixth on the way. Godzilla (2014) opens the shared universe, Kong: Skull Island follows a 1973 Monarch expedition, and the two monsters start sharing the screen from Godzilla vs. Kong onward. Each film carries its own plot and most of its own cast, with the Russell family from King of the Monsters the main through-line.
Only one choice separates the two orders. Kong: Skull Island is set in 1973, forty-plus years before it came out, so story order puts it first. Everything else keeps release order: Godzilla, then King of the Monsters, then the two team-ups, with The New Empire running a few years ahead of its 2024 release.
Good to know
The shows are optional and sit outside both lists. Skull Island (Netflix, 2023) is animated and set about twenty years after its film, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+, 2023 and 2026 seasons) spans the 1950s to 2017, so it fits after Godzilla. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova opens March 26, 2027. A young Lee Shaw series announced in August 2026 has no date yet.
