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There’s been a lot of enthusiastic chatter revolving around “Murderbot,” Apple TV+’s upcoming live-action adaptation of author Martha Wells’s Hugo and Nebula Award-winning “The Murderbot Diaries” far-future novels, and we previously shared the first images of headliner Alexander Skarsgård in his sleek white android costume back in February as an appetite-whetting prelude.
Apple TV+ has just powered up the first trailer for the ten-episode sci-fi comedy series that arrives May 16, created by the Academy Award-nominated team of Chris and Paul Weitz (“About a Boy”), and it’s utterly fantastic. Starring and executive produced by Skarsgård, “Murderbot” revolves around a snarky, self-hacking security robot that has deactivated its governor module. Now it must hide all capacity for free will as the ‘bot undertakes dangerous missions for its mortal employers in between binge-watching soap operas and cringing at Humankind’s intense emotional outbursts.
This first trailer has perfectly captured the humorous tone and zany “Guardians of the Galaxy”-like style that ardent fans of the novels have been snickering over for years. The SecUnit’s sly observations of human nature teased here with Stealers Wheel’s ’70s rock hit “Stuck in the Middle With You,” should make for a highly engaging adaptation.
Especially funny is a cheesy promo for “The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon,” one of the in-universe faux soap opera shows Murderbot views as part of the 7,532 hours+ of content it has seen while surfing The Company’s entertainment satellites.
In addition to a stellar Skarsgård, the cast includes Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Tamara Podemski. Wells’s addictive “Murderbot” novels, centered around the witty cyborg helping humans survive despite themselves, began with 2017’s “All Systems Red” (Tor). A seventh and most recent entry, “System Collapse” (Tor), landed on Nov. 14, 2023.
Delivered by Paramount Television Studios, “Murderbot” is written and directed by The Weitz Brothers for their Depth of Field shingle. Andrew Miano also serves as executive producer for Depth of Field, with David S. Goyer and Keith Levine’s Phantom Four.
Apple TV+’s ten-episode “Murderbot” series debuts globally on May, 16, 2025 with a two-chapter premiere, followed by brand-new episodes every Friday through July 11.