The series comprises seven works published to date: All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, Network Effect, Fugitive Telemetry and System Collapse. Network Effect and System Collapse are (short) novels, the other works are novellas.
The series depicts the adventures and misadventures of "Murderbot," a former assassin droid which has broken free of its programming and achieved sentience and volition. The droid now wants to do nothing more than be left alone to enjoy binge-watching TV shows, but it constantly finds itself drawn into human misadventures, eventually building up a number of recurring allies and enemies.
Apple+ have taken the step of ordering the TV version to series immediately (apparently the groundwork was laid a year ago but delayed by the writers' and actors' strikes). Producers Chris and Paul Weitz are also serving as showrunners, writers and directors for the series, with David S. Goyer serving as producer. Goyer's involvement may have helped the project land at Apple, as he is the current showrunner and executive producer on Foundation for the same streamer.
Chris Weitz has previous genre adaptation form, having directed the film version of Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass and was previously involved in an attempt to bring Scott Bakker's challenging Prince of Nothing trilogy to television. With his brother Paul, they worked on the American Pie movie series. Chris also co-wrote the Star Wars movie Rogue One.
Actor Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Succession) has already been cast in the lead role of Murderbot and production of the 10-episode first season is expected to begin in the next few months for a 2025 debut. It is unclear how many of the books will be adapted in the first season.
Aw, my head cannon for Murderbot has always been Gwendoline Christie.
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