Apple TV+’s hit science fiction series Murderbot started out as a comedy, but it will lean much more heavily into the cyberpunk genre in its second season. Apple TV+’s Murderbot is based on The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Since it’s a direct adaptation of the acclaimed books, we can predict what will happen in the upcoming Murderbot season 2, which is expected to be released in late 2026.
As with any adaptation, however, Apple TV+’s version of Murderbot has also changed some elements of the books while adapting it into a television show. Murderbot‘s showrunners have already noted that they’re making some changes to Martha Wells’ books to keep the cast of Murderbot, which gets separated in the novellas, together for the show. Still, even with the show’s changes, the story is going to become much more cyberpunk in season 2.
Murderbot Season 2 Will Feel Much More Cyberpunk Than The First Season
Some elements of cyberpunk were baked into Murderbot from the beginning. Murderbot the character is owned by a mega-powerful corporation, for example, and the entire world has a corporate dystopian quality to it. Murderbot season 1, however, leaned much more into the comedic elements of the story, such as Murderbot’s awkwardness and its interactions with PreservationAux.
In Murderbot season 2, however, the show will have to delve more deeply into the franchise’s cyberpunk elements. Murderbot season 2 is set to adapt Artificial Condition, which saw Murderbot travel to the RaviHyral mining installation to find out the truth about its dark memories and past. Artificial Condition is when The Murderbot Diaries started to become more serious and mature, and Murderbot the show will have to follow suit.
The setting of Murderbot season 2, a giant corporate mining installation, will give the show much more of an opportunity to be cyberpunk than the on-planet first season did. RaviHyral is a place that was built by corporations without a care for human lives and later abandoned. There will be ample opportunity to use plenty of neon lights, crowded streets, and other hallmarks of the cyberpunk genre.
Thematically, that setting also allows Murderbot season 2 to dive deeper into its evil corporations and anti-capitalist messaging. There’s certainly still going to be plenty of moments for comedy in Murderbot season 2, but the follow-up season is going to have a distinctly darker tone. Even PreservationAux’s scenes, which will presumably follow their ongoing litigation with GrayCris, will be perfect for a cyberpunk message.
Murderbot Season 2 Provides Stiff Competition For Apple TV’s Other Upcoming Cyberpunk Show
Image via Apple TV+
With Murderbot season 2 leaning further into its cyberpunk roots, it’s providing competition for another Apple TV+ sci-fi show based on an acclaimed cyberpunk book: Neuromancer. Apple TV+ is adapting an adaptation of Neuromancer, the seminal cyberpunk classic by William Gibson. Since Neuromancer is set to release in late 2026, that means the streaming service will have two major adaptations of cyberpunk books airing episodes very close to one another.
In all likelihood, Neuromancer will be a better cyberpunk story than Murderbot season 2. Neuromancer is an all-time classic of the cyberpunk genre, while Murderbot is primarily a sci-fi comedy with a heavy emphasis on wholesome interpersonal connections. Neuromancer is, by design, a lot darker and more aligned with the main attractions of cyberpunk than Murderbot is.
Forget About Neuromancer, I’m More Excited For This Sci-Fi TV Show Based On A Book
There are a lot of great upcoming sci-fi shows based on books on the horizon, but I’m much more excited for season 2 of Apple TV+’s acclaimed series.
Still, Murderbot could prove to be tough competition. Neuromancer is a very strange and grim tale. While that makes it great for cyberpunk fans, it may be difficult to get general audiences to buy into such a depressing dystopian tale. Murderbot, on the other hand, is a story about a purposefully likeable and endearing robot engaging with humanity. While it may not be as cyberpunk, Murderbot may be more popular.
Neuromancer, by virtue of being a pillar of the cyberpunk genre, also has quite a few expectations going along with it. It has a higher bar to surpass, and if Apple TV+ can’t do the source material justice, Neuromancer could actually end up being hated by fans. Murderbot, on the other hand, has already proven its dedication to the source material, and it has delighted critics and audiences alike. Murderbot may just surpass Neuromancer.
- Release Date
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May 15, 2025
- Network
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Apple TV+
- Showrunner
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Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
