Alexander Skarsgård Stars In ‘Murderbot’ Sci-Fi Series Ordered By Apple From Chris & Paul Weitz

Nellie Andreeva
·1 min read
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Apple TV+ has officially picked up Murderbot, a 10-episode sci-fi drama series starring and executive produced by Emmy winner Alexander Skarsgård (Succession). Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning book series The Murderbot Diaries, the project hails from Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy) and Paramount Television Studios.

The action-packed Murderbot received a blinking green light a year ago, with the casting of the title character interrupted by the strikes. The series centers on a self-hacking security android (Skarsgård) who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable “clients.” Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.

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The Weitz brothers are writing, directing and producing under their Depth of Field banner. Andrew Miano also executive produces alongside for Depth of Field. David S. Goyer executive produces alongside Keith Levine for Phantom Four. Wells will serve as consulting producer.

Paul Weitz recently wrote and directed Fatherhood starring Kevin Hart, while Depth of Field’s The Farewell won best feature at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards. Chris Weitz most recently wrote The Creator and is in post on his next feature They Listen.

At Apple TV+, top genre filmmaker Goyer also serves as executive producer and showrunner on Foundation, which recently aired its second season. The streamer’s roster of sci-fi series also includes Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Silo, For All Mankind and Invasion.

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