Murderbot Season 2: Release Date, Cast, and What to Expect

2 weeks ago 18

Alexander Skarsgard as Murderbot in the SecUnit suit and helmet looking forward in Murderbot

Published Jan 28, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Makuochi Echebiri is a News Writer for Collider. He has been interested in creative writing from as far back as high school, and he would consume pretty much anything that’s film or TV. However, his truest love lies in the presence of historical epics and thrillers.

Lured by the brilliance of Middle Earth from an early age both in print and on screen, his palate has since expanded to other realms including Westeros, Kattegat among others. He also possesses a great appetite for the stories that emanate from the vastness of space. Even though he is no Avenger.

Obsessed with storytelling and having works of his own that have yet to make it to print, he is content to use that ability to communicate to as many as are reachable. In his spare time, he looks out for avenues where he can aid people aside from his plans to reign over this earthly realm. Yes…you heard that first here.

George R.R. Martin is famous for being a fantasy author, and HBO's adaptation of his work on the critically acclaimed series, Game of Thrones, established him even further. Besides his insight into life in Westeros, Martin is well-versed in what a good sci-fi adaptation looks like. In 2025, the A Song of Ice and Fire author put the spotlight on Apple TV+’s Murderbot, the adaptation of Martha Wells’ award-winning The Murderbot Diaries, praising the work done on it. The Hugo and Nebula-winning series has been renewed for a second season, but in the meantime, Murderbot Season 1 is tearing up the Apple TV+ charts globally, according to data from FlixPatrol.

A great binge-watch, Murderbot is based on the acclaimed novel series of the same name by Wells, which follows the adventures of an artificial private security consultant who is assigned to complete unwanted missions by its corporate employers. Despite the first-person perspective and sarcastic sense of humor that permeate Wells' novels, the Apple TV+ adaptation found a way to translate them appropriately. Much of Murderbot's surprisingly moving and frequently hilarious moments are due mainly to a great lead performance by Alexander Skarsgård. Skarsgård stars in the titular role of the SEC-UNIT, aka Murderbot. The first season of the sci-fi series is loved by both critics and audiences, with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 95% and 82%, respectively, reflecting that acclaim.

What Do We Know About 'Murderbot' Season 2?

Murderbot explores the concept of artificial intelligence from a sharp, satirical, and adventurous point of view as the show manages to do something both innovative and entertaining at the same time. On the same day Season 1 aired its season finale, Murderbot was renewed for a second season. However, Apple TV+ did not announce when it plans to release Murderbot Season 2 in its renewal announcement. The Skydance merger with Paramount has likely affected the release timeline behind the scenes as Paramount Television Studios produces the series for Apple TV, and the busy schedules of its major stars will also factor in. When all those variables are considered, this leaves the most likely windows for release in either late 2026 or, more likely, early 2027.

In addition to Skarsgård in the lead role, Murderbot also stars Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent), David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad), Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride), Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident), Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range). The show is created by the Weitz brothers, Chris and Paul, who write, direct, and executive produce all 10 episodes in Season 1. David S. Goyer, the creator of another sci-fi series, Foundation on Apple TV+, also serves as executive producer of the series.