Summary
Looking for a new sci-fi watch to fill theSeverance-shaped hole after the explosive season two finale? Well, look no further, as the upcoming Apple TV+ sci-fi comedy-thrillerMurderbotis sure to pique the interest of genre fans. With similar themes and corporate settings — including an employee uprising, futuristic biotech, and another mysterious corporation known only as “the company” — there’s certainly plenty of connective tissue.
Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling sci-fi book seriesMurderbot Diaries,Murderbotis the next in a long line of adaptations to hit the streaming service.Hit shows such asSilo(based on Graham Yost’s trilogy ofWool,Shift, andDust), Foundation(based on Issac Asimov’s iconic series)andSlow Horses(based on Mick Herron’s spy series)have proved some of Apple TV+’s best television shows yet.
For those who want to find out more about the upcoming sci-fi adaptation, here’s everything we know aboutMurderbot.
Murderbot’s Cast & Directors
About a BoyandMozart in the JungleOscar-nominee directors Chris and Paul Weitz are at the helm of Apple TV+’s latest adaptation. In fact, the Weitz brothers not only directed the series, they also wrote and produced it under their Depth of Field banner.
Emmy Award-winner Alexander Skarsgård, who has played an incredible array of character roles, including a vampire inTrue Blood,a Viking inThe Northmanandseveral clones inInfinity Pool,will soon be adding an android to his CV. He plays the titular Murderbot, a “SecUnit” security agent hired to protect the PreservationAux survey team. Noma Dumezwani will play Dr. Ayda Mensah, the planetary leader of the Preservation Alliance and also Murderbot’s favourite human.Oppenheimerstar David Dastmalchianis set to play Gurathin, a scientist and another member of the PreservationAux survey team. He’s an augmented human who is highly suspicious of Murderbot, and he tries to convince the rest of the survey team that they can’t trust it.
The remaining Preservation scientists include Tattiawna Jones and Sabrina Wu, who play Arada and Pin-Lee, along with Tamara Podemski and Akshay Khanna, who play Bharadwaj and Ratthi.
What Is Murderbot About?
Set in a futuristic and capitalist space-faring society,Murderbotfollows the titular “SecUnit” cyborg security guard as it’s hired to protect a crew on a scientific expedition to an alien planet. Despite being built to obey and protect humans, the self-titled android believes humans are jerks. So it’s devoted all of its spare time to successfully overriding its governor module.
The thing is, he doesn’t really know what to do with himself now it’s free, but it does really like binging its favorite futuristic soap operas, particularlyThe Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. But when a dangerous encounter on an alien planet draws it closer to the scientific crew, it begins to develop inconvenient emotions and connections with humans, which make it uncomfortable.
Murderbotis a much more comedicslice of sci-fi thanSeveranceandSilo, featuring hilarious narration from the titular android. Yet there’s still an intriguing mystery at its heart, as the SecUnit appears to be haunted by a mysterious past expedition. The crew also discover key information has been missing from their survey packet of the planet — who deleted it, and why?
There are currently seven books in Martha Wells’ sci-fi series, so there’s plenty of source material for future seasons ifMurderbotproves a success with fans.
First-Look Images & Release Info
Apple TV+ has so far only released two first-look images from the upcoming show, spotlighting Alexander Skarsgård in the full SecUnit costume, giving fans a glimpse at Murderbot’s overall look and design. With a sleek but patterned gray and black protective outerbody suit, coupled with a futuristic full-face helmet sitting somewhere betweenThe Suicide Squad’s Deadshotand Robot inLost in Space,the android certainly looks like it means business.
It’s clearly taken quite a bit of damage in the first still , with distinct scratches on the chest plate. In the second still, showing the titular character’s face beneath the mask, it looks rather disgruntled at something or someone. It clearly just wants to be left alone to watch the nextThe Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moonepisode.
Comprising a 10-episode series,Murderbotwill make its debut on streaming serviceApple TV+onFriday, July 12, 2025, with the first two episodes. Following the two-episode season premiere, new episodes will be released weekly every Friday through to the season finale on July 11.
