If you're signed up to Apple TV Plus for its robust line-up of science fiction shows, then you're about to get another treat, because the streamer has announced the latest in its ever-growing list of TV shows in the genre.
This new show is called Murderbot and it's based on "The Murderbot Diaries", a series of books by US author Martha Wells that has won many writing awards (including Nebulas and Hugos).
The book series centers on a cyborg security agent that manages to hack the chip that lets others control it, giving it autonomy. It tries to keep away from people (and loves to watch soap operas instead), but its newfound independence means it inevitably grows close to the clients it's sent to protect for its job.
Apple hasn't said which of Wells' novels will be adapted, but so far the series consists of four novellas, three novels and three short stories, so there's a lot of source material to work from.
Some talent has been announced: Alexander Skarsgård is going to star, Chris and Paul Weitz are the creators and David S. Goyer is an executive producer. Goyer has worked on previous Apple sci-fi shows, as he's the showrunner on Foundation which recently announced its third season.
So when will you be able to watch Murderbot? Unfortunately, there's no word on a release date just yet, but this sounds like it could be quite a special-effects-heavy action show (given it's set in space and on alien planets) so it could be quite a big production. It might be quite a while until it comes out, then!
Saying that, Wells said in a 2021 interview that she'd read the script for a TV adaptation of Murderbot. So the show could at least have that part down already.
Apple is proving itself a powerhouse for sci-fi fans. Foundation, Silo, Severance, For All Mankind, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and soon Constellation are some of the many big-budget shows it's made in the last few years, and the list is constantly growing longer.
We recently published a long feature looking at how Apple TV Plus' track record with sci-fi makes it better than Netflix for fans of the genre, as that streamer is quick to cancel things.
Before Murderbot gets here, you can sign up to Apple TV Plus to enjoy the shows already on the streamer. Or you can use Apple TV Plus free trials to find a way to enjoy them without paying if you're eligible!
