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After the popularity of Martha Wells’s Murderbot book series, Apple TV+ turned it into a show, and now, with all episodes out and the finale just aired, fans finally got to see Alexander Skarsgård bring Murderbot to life on screen.
The story has been quite a journey. At first, Murderbot is a security unit that gains free will. But instead of going on a rampage or seeking freedom in some dramatic way, he mainly uses his new freedom to watch soap operas and avoid talking to people. Eventually, he ends up with a group of kind-hearted humans from PreservationAux, and slowly, despite his efforts to avoid it, he starts to care about them.
Throughout the season, Murderbot finds himself caught between doing his job, keeping his new team safe, and trying not to get emotionally involved, which, for him, is the worst possible thing.
The good news for fans is that the story isn’t over. The show has officially been renewed for a second season, so we’ll be seeing more of Murderbot’s awkward, reluctant heroism soon.
More details on season 2 are expected to come out shortly.
Murderbot season 2 release date
There isn’t an official release date yet for Murderbot season 2. Realistically, we probably won’t see it until sometime in late 2026 at the earliest. But the moment any updates are announced, they’ll be shared widely.
Season 2 was confirmed right after the season 1 finale aired, which shows how strong the response to the show has been.
The showrunners, Chris and Paul Weitz, expressed their gratitude in a statement, saying they’re thrilled to return to Martha Wells’s world and work again with Alexander Skarsgård, Apple, CBS Studios, and the rest of the creative team.
Matt Cherniss, Apple TV+’s head of programming, praised the show’s unique tone and storytelling. He described it as original, witty, and full of energy. Something that connected with audiences. He also teased that there’s a lot more to look forward to in season 2, both for Murderbot and for the fictional soap opera Sanctuary Moon, which Murderbot is obsessed with.
So while we’ll need to wait a bit, season 2 is officially on the way.
Murderbot season 2 plot details
Season 2 of Murderbot will likely pick up where the books left off, following the storyline from Martha Wells’s second novel, Artificial Condition.
In this next chapter, Murderbot, or SecUnit, sets out on a very personal mission: to uncover the truth about its own past. Specifically, it wants to learn what really happened during the incident that caused it to go rogue in the first place.
To do this, it travels to a station called RaviHyral, where the mysterious event took place. But since SecUnit isn’t exactly welcome everywhere, it decides to disguise itself as an augmented human so it can move around without drawing attention.
Along the way, it teams up with another artificial intelligence known as ART (short for “Asshole Research Transport” in the books, a nickname Murderbot gives the AI). Despite their sarcastic banter, ART becomes an important ally as they work together to dig into what really happened and why.
So, if season 2 stays true to the books, we can expect a deeper dive into Murderbot’s past, more action and undercover missions, and the introduction of a new fan-favorite character in ART.
Murderbot season 2 cast details
It’s almost certain that Alexander Skarsgård will return in the lead role as Murderbot for season 2. His portrayal of the sarcastic, emotionally avoidant SecUnit has been central to the show’s success so far.
Since season 2 is expected to follow the Artificial Condition storyline, we’ll likely see a few fresh faces joining the cast. This includes new characters like ART, the highly intelligent, slightly snarky AI who teams up with Murderbot, as well as Tapan and Tlacey, two human characters who become part of the journey.
Although the PreservationAux crew (PresAux) isn’t heavily involved in the second book, there’s a chance we’ll still see a few of them in short scenes or flashbacks. If so, we could expect the return of:
- Noma Dumezweni as Dr. Mensah
- David Dastmalchian as Gurathin
- Sabrina Wu as Pin-Lee
- Akshay Khanna as Ratthi
- Tattiawna Jones as Arada
- Tamara Podemski as Bharadwaj
These returning characters might not be front and centre, but their presence could help maintain continuity as Murderbot’s story branches out into new territory.