It’s Godzilla! Apple TV hosts record-breaking drone show to promote new season of Monarch
Look out, Hollywood – there’s a monster on its way!
Luckily, this version of Godzilla that towered over Los Angeles, California, USA last Friday is made up of thousands of flying drones – but just wait until Apple TV releases its second season of Monarch: Legend of Monsters on 27 February, to see the giant beast do some real damage.
As promo for the hit series’ upcoming season, entertainment professionals at Apple TV and Heads In The Sky drone show agency created a record-breaking 3D aerial show that depicted colossal creatures crushing and lighting fire to the city of LA.
Made up of over 3,000 drones equipped with RTK GPS precision positioning systems, an audience of shocked spectators watched as Godzilla joined his destructive counterpart King Kong – and a new beast named Titan X – to light up the sky above the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in a spectacular sci-fi battle.
The formation was choreographed to progressively build the characters’ full-body silhouette in the night, culminating in its maximum vertical extension at a miraculous 457 ft 8 in (139.5 m). In all, the entire production was roughly 1,000 by 1,000 feet large, and it even was visible from miles away, making this one of the largest promotional drone shows of all time!
After an independent aerial display expert reviewed the show, the teams were officially rewarded with a new Guinness World Records title on 20 February for the tallest aerial display of a fictional character formed by multirotors/drones – which represents a meaningful milestone in the evolution of cinematic promotion and aerial innovation.
By moving storytelling from the screen to the sky, the organizers created an immersive public experience that blended entertainment, engineering, as well as significant technical achievement.
“From the thousands of drones, to the score, to the incredible formation of the Monsterverse’s most recognizable monsters in the sky, this moment was truly befitting of a larger-than-life show like Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and we are honored to be recognized among the greats who hold Guinness World Records titles,” said Apple TV.
And in addition to the spectacle, the drone show was part of a premiere party for the new season, and cast members such as Kurt Russell, his son Wyatt Russell, Anders Holm, Mari Yamamoto and Joe Tippett were all in attendance for the event.
In front of the crowd, Kurt introduced the show by saying “We’re going to break a world record tonight… and here we go!” as the sky lit up into a dazzling display of whirring drones and flashing battle-scenes.
And throughout the performance, thrilling music from series composer Leopold Ross stirred the senses, while the audience gasped as the creative choreography shifted from monsters and mayhem to the flashing Apple TV logo.
“As a company built on the phrase ‘we need a big idea,’ it’s an honor to stand alongside Apple TV in a moment that reflects what’s possible when creative ambition, trust, and partnership come together to push ideas to their fullest form,” said Kevin Prince, co-founder of Heads in the Sky.
“Bringing Godzilla, Kong, and Titan X to life at this scale is a feat we're incredibly proud of and we're grateful that Guinness World Records recognized it.”
Read more stories about record-breaking TV shows in our dedicated Arts and Entertainment section!
Also present at the event was Guinness World Records Adjudicator Natalia Ramírez Talero, who kept a careful eye on the sky to make sure that every technical guideline was being followed.
In a statement to GWR, she said that the event was a “union of imagination, production and technological precision that transformed the sky into a cinematic canvas.”
“This attempt demonstrates how storytelling can transcend traditional formats, bringing fictional characters into real-world scale through innovation and engineering excellence,” Natalia continued.
“It is with great pleasure that we welcome this achievement into the Guinness World Records family.”
So congratulations to everyone involved in this incredible show – you are all Officially Amazing!
And if you want to check out more monster action, be sure to tune into the new season of Monarch: Legend of Monsters, airing on 27 February exclusively on Apple TV.