One of the funniest shows of the entire 2025 TV schedule has been delivering laughs with the unlikely combination of the straightest of straight faces from leading man Alexander Skarsgård and earnest performances from his co-stars. Luckily for fans, Apple TV+ isn't keeping fans hanging about whether Murderbot will be back to continue the adventures of SecUnit beyond the upcoming Season 1 finale. Yes, Murderbot scored an early renewal for Season 2, so viewers with an Apple TV+ subscription can check out the finale on July 11 secure in the knowledge that the ride isn't over.
The good news also reminded me of what co-stars Akshay Khanna and Tamara Podemski told CinemaBlend about a second season. But first things first!
Murderbot Returns For Season 2
Based on the literary world built by author Martha Wells, Murderbot debuted on Apple TV+ back in May as a series that could delight both readers and viewers who had never read the books. The streamer announced the Season 2 renewal just one day before the Season 1 finale on July 11. The series had a winning team behind the scenes that led to its Certified Fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes, with Academy Award nominees (and brothers) Chris and Paul Weitz as showrunners and Emmy winner Alexander Skarsgård as star and executive producer.
In a statement regarding the renewal, the Weitz brothers said that they're "so grateful" for the response to Murderbot, and they're "delighted" to go back to "Martha Wells’s world to work with Alexander, Apple, CBS Studios and the rest of the team." There's plenty of source material for the show to work with, as the first season was based on just the first of the seven Murderbot Diaries novellas penned by Martha Wells. Alexander Skarsgård will get to continue the elaborate process of putting on the Murderbot armor, after telling CinemaBlend why he prefers practical effects over CGI.
Fans will have to tune in to the finale to see how the the first season sets up the future of Murderbot itself, and I can't help but wonder whether or not the Weitz brothers were including the Season 1 cast when they mentioned working with "the rest of the team" again for Season 2. Whatever the future holds, the cast members were enthusiastic when I spoke to them earlier this year during Apple TV+'s Murderbot press junket.
What Akshay Khanna and Tamara Podemski Told Us
When I was fortunate enough to speak with the Murderbot cast during Apple TV+'s press junket, the comedy was still months away from a renewal for Season 2. Still, I had to ask Akshay Khanna and Tamara Podemski: would they be interested in coming back in a second season if that was a possibility? They of course didn't spoil how Season 1 would end, but they left no doubt about whether they'd want to return to their characters if given the chance. Podemski, who plays the unlucky geochemist Bharadwaj, said:
For those who are big fans of the books, we know what Book 2 is about, and so that part is a little bit confusing, of where PresAux fits into that, but the world is so incredible. Yeah, we just want to do it over and over and over again.
Askshay Khanna, who plays the wormhole expert Ratthi (who should probably be kept far away from any weapons), echoed his co-star's sentiments. He shared:
We'd come back in a heartbeat, absolutely. And I'm intrigued to see if it does go forward, how they do it, because, like I said, the books have a very specific kind of arc, so it would be very, very interesting, I think.
The question isn't whether the cast members want to come back, but whether their characters end Season 1 in a place that they'll need to come back. Book readers may have an idea of what may come next, but I for one am satisfied to celebrate the early renewal and cross my fingers that the actors get their wishes to come back "over and over and over again."
The Season 1 finale of Murderbot releases on Friday, July 11 on Apple TV+, at which point you'll be able to stream the full first season. It remains to be seen if a cliffhanger is in store, given that the first season was filmed long before Season 2 was renewed. Whatever happens: Murderbot itself will endure for a second season (and hopefully more Sanctuary Moon).
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