Local media in Prague, Czech Republic, are continuing to provide updates on early production for Birdwatcher — working title for the new Monsterverse Monarch: Legacy of Monsters spinoff show focused on Lee Shaw during the Cold War in the 1980s.

The Prague Reporter can reveal exclusive photos from the production, showing star Wyatt Russell on location alongside an array of period props and vehicles. The imagery points to a story set in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, with Russell’s Lee Shaw apparently operating undercover and under pursuit by the KGB…

…The Prague Reporter’s exclusive set photos offer the clearest look yet at Birdwatcher‘s Cold War setting. Several images show period props featuring Cyrillic lettering, while others capture Russell in scenes that appear to depict his character moving covertly behind the Iron Curtain…

…e Cyrillic markings on props strongly suggest that Birdwatcher is portraying the Soviet Union, although the specific locations represented by the scenes have not been officially identified. Previous reports have placed the story in 1984, when Shaw is sent on a secret mission behind enemy lines to prevent the Soviet Union from unleashing a Titan capable of changing the course of the Cold War.

Here a couple of the large number of behind the scenes photos from the article.

Note: the lower photo for bread store #61 🍞— хлеб is Russian for bread.

A review and update on the latest IDW comic offering in the Godzilla franchise as well as a reflection on the evolution of comics as separate narratives from screen.

Flash forward to the modern era and Godzilla comics are just fucking weird! No concept seems to be too outlandish. No crossover too absurd. No retcon too sacrilegious.

Indeed, if you’ve picked up a book from IDW lately (the custodians of the brand as far as print is concerned), you’ll have been exposed to some of the wackiest takes on the King of the Monsters imaginable. He’s been sent to hell (both Norse and Catholic), corrupted by the Venom symbiote, fought 16th-century pirates, and been the subject of a geopolitical conspiracy that triggered the respective assassinations of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Bugsy Siegel and Abraham Lincoln. Some of those things all happened in the same batshit story!

Breaking news on Godzilla Minus Zero world premiere.

The 2026 NY Film Festival will host the world premiere of Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla Minus Zero.

The sequel to sleeper hit Godzilla Minus One will screen as the Spotlight gala selection on Sept. 26 at the 64th annual event.

David Ellison announced yesterday, as financial markets closed, that the Paramount-WB merger would be paused until mid 2027 in response to ongoing antitrust concerns. The 12 intervening states successfully obtained a restraining order last Monday.

From the Gizmodo article:

Paramount has agreed to a delay of its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery after a group of 12 states sued to stop the $111 billion deal. The states, led by California, brought the lawsuit over antitrust concerns, and Paramount has agreed to close the deal until five days after a potential trial is held or June 1, 2027, whichever comes first, according to a court filing.

Cool article about a great initiative.

If you’re not reading articles frequently from The Japan Times, the paywall shouldn’t kick in.

A suitably summery Godzilla cartoon from Grickle. Available for purchase from the creator at the link to their website.

Titans in a theme park ride set in the Hollow Earth? Sounds cool.

A press release describes it as a “multimedia dark ride,” as well as “the world’s first attraction to integrate Legendary’s Monsterverse into a fully immersive theme park experience,” and it’s joining Lotte World Adventure‘s slate of attractions starting July 24. Here’s an effects-heavy trailer setting the mood but not giving too much actual insight into what to expect.

Wish it were closer than Seoul, South Korea. Perhaps Canada’s Wonderland could add something like this?

This coverage by Variety of the legal challenges to the Paramount-WB merger is intriguing.

Are blockbuster films a separate market? Or are they interchangeable with other forms of entertainment?

The $111 billion Paramount–Warner Bros. merger may hang on that question. On July 13, a coalition of 12 states sued to block the deal, arguing that it will lead to excessive concentration in the theatrical and basic cable markets. The strongest claim may be that the combined entity will control 30% of the market for “anticipated top-grossing films.”

A new official trailer for Godzilla Minus Zero was dropped today by Toho.

Enjoy!

I’ll come back with another post with links to some of the trailer analyses out there after a few days

📣 REMINDER: Next The Ark Mastodon watch / rewatch party will this upcoming Saturday, July 11th 3:00 pm EDT (UTC-4).

S1E7 A Slow Death is Worse

S1E8 Every Single Person Matters

I host there from my account @AlsoPaisleyCat@tenforward.social.

We took a hiatus for the US national holiday last week but will be continuing with the first season this Saturday.

Please feel welcome to join in. There’s a groupbot to help boost posts and federate. If you would like to participate or just lurk, please make a follow request to to the fedigroups bot and I will approve.

While the production information in US-based entertainment media have emphasized that the new Apple Cold War 1980s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters spinoff — working title Birdwatcher — will be shooting in Australia or South Pacific locations, it appears that production licences are in place for Prague and surrounding areas in Czechia.

Given the Cold War focus, locations in Eastern Europe make sense. Canadian locations can only stand in for so much of Russia and Kazakhstan (as they did in Monarch). Prague features in many shows needing urban Eastern European locations now that Russian coproductions are not viable.

In the May issue of Location Internationalmagazine, Czech Film Commissioner Pavlína Žipková discusses international productions filming in the country this year, and references the project under the title The American Birdwatcher. 

Stillking Films, one of the Czech Republic’s leading production service companies, has registered the project with the Czech Audiovisual Fund and will coordinate local production activities.

JG Dillard shared this first behind the scenes production photo on Instagram for the new ‘Young Lee Shaw’ Monsterverse Apple spinoff series starring Wyatt Russell.

The working title is ’Birdwatcher’. Production started in mid June.

For those not aware a ‘Godzilla El Niño’ is forecast for Africa in the coming months.

It’s a serious threat to the well-being of the population on the continent. Seems worthy of the name.

Severe damage to agriculture and infrastructure is expected across large parts of the continent, and Africa has just a few months to prepare.

Both droughts and floods may cause “severe” exacerbation of food insecurity, says Rainer, who notes that some of the worst affected areas are also grappling with the effects of conflict. “In the worst case, drought can mean a complete loss of the harvest including the seeds for the next season, especially if non-adapted varieties, for example of maize, are grown.”

Climate models suggest Africa has just a few months to prepare for the short-term impacts.

This cash-crop industry perspective from a coffee industry publication definitely is doing its bit to serve its clientele.

Kong and Titan X face off in a colossal clash that threatens to reshape Skull Island. Shaw embarks on a dangerous journey.

Written by: Andrew Colville

Directed by: Lawrence Trilling

New photo from closing scene — strongly suggests a third season to come.

Welcome to the season finale discussion! There is no spoiler protection in episode discussion threads, and spoiler tags are not necessary!