It's been over a year since Apple TV's addictive sci-fi saga Murderbot wrapped its first season and was renewed for a second, yet Season 2 still has no premiere date. Created by Paul and Chris Weitz as an adaptation of Martha Wells' bestselling The Murderbot Diaries, Murderbot is set in a high-tech future. Alexander Skarsgård stars as a rogue security robot (SecUnit) that secretly gains free will and, to keep its independence hidden, it reluctantly joins a new mission to protect scientists on a dangerous planet, even though all it really wants is to binge-watch soap operas.
The hit cyberpunk series premiered on May 16, 2025, to positive reviews from fans and critics alike. Season 1 currently holds a Certified Fresh 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 82 reviews, alongside a similarly impressive 82% audience score. Its ten-episode run ended on July 11, 2025, and the series has consistently ranked at the top of Apple TV's charts in the U.S. and internationally. In addition to Skarsgård, Murderbot stars Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski, and Tattiawna Jones.
While fans await further updates on Murderbot Season 2, which began production this April, author Wells has confirmed that her beloved book series is nearing its end. After releasing Platform Decay, the eighth book in The Murderbot Diaries series, earlier in May, Wells now has just one book left under contract, suggesting in an interview with Polygon that Murderbot book 9 may be the last.
“I only have one Murderbot book on contract right now. It'll probably be the end of the year, at least, before I start the next Murderbot. I've got some vague ideas for it, but I'm not really sure what it's going to be yet. And that may be the last book.”
Is This Truly the End for 'Murderbot'?
As the eighth book in The Murderbot Diaries, Platform Decay follows All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, Network Effect, Fugitive Telemetry, and System Collapse. Season 1 of the Apple TV adaptation was based on the first book, All Systems Red. Season 2 will reportedly combine the next three books and feature longer episodes.
As for Platform Decay, the book centers on SecUnit, a.k.a. Murderbot, as it installs a new mental health module to analyze its emotional responses. The module may help recalibrate its mind as it tries to rescue some of its chosen human family from a massive corporate planetary torus.
Now, with Murderbot nearing its end, Wells previously admitted that she has no planned structure or endpoint for the series and isn't building toward a particular plot event or finale. As the acclaimed novelist explained, the ending won't necessarily resolve everything, because the protagonists can't simply kill one villain and make things better; someone else will always take their place.
For those who can't get enough of this universe, Alexander Skarsgård's Murderbot is the perfect sci-fi binge. And if you're looking for more mind-bending sci-fi on Apple TV, Dark Matter offers a thrilling ride that rivals Severance.
Murderbot streams on Apple TV, while Platform Decay is available as a hardcover, Kindle, and an audiobook.
