Murderbot on Apple TV+: Trailer, Premiere Date, and Everything to Know

Apple TV+ has been on a roll with big-budget science-fiction series like Severance, For All Mankind, and Foundation, and now, in 2025, they’re adding Murderbot to the lineup. Based on the Murderbot Diaries novels by Martha Wells, Murderbot stars the talented Alexander Skarsgård as a security robot who gains free will in a futuristic human society.

But don’t expect Murderbot to be a super serious exploration of deep philosophical concepts. Instead, it’s a darkly funny series that takes a cynical look at how not-so-bright people can be, all through the eyes of a cyborg who’s just over it all. After a lifetime of being a slave, Murderbot would rather chill and stream TV shows than deal with anything else. Think of it as a humorous twist on a classic robot storyline like RoboCop.

The Murderbot Diaries books strike a perfect balance between humor and tackling complex sci-fi ideas, and Apple is banking on the series being a hit for that reason. So, what do we know about Murderbot so far?

The premiere date for Murderbot is set for May 16 on Apple TV+, with the first two episodes dropping and the remaining eight to follow weekly.

Apple has blessed us with an epic two-minute trailer for Murderbot that perfectly captures the tone of the books—expect a blend of humor, action, and clever storytelling.

At the heart of Murderbot is the main character, a cyborg known as a “SecUnit” who breaks free from its control module. However, Murderbot has to hide its newfound independence to avoid being shut down. The series will likely kick off with the story from the first novel, All Systems Red, where Murderbot must protect a group of sympathetic explorers from a rival expedition on a remote alien planet.

The showrunners and writers for Murderbot are Chris and Paul Weitz, with Alexander Skarsgård leading the cast alongside talented actors like David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, and Noma Dumezweni. Plus, keep an eye out for guest appearances from actors like Clark Gregg, John Cho, DeWanda Wise, and Jack McBrayer, who play characters in the fictional shows that Murderbot obsessively watches.

If the series piques your interest, there are seven books in the Murderbot Diaries series to dive into for even more robot adventures. So, get ready for a thrilling and comedic sci-fi experience with Murderbot on Apple TV+!