Today, Apple TV+ announced that Platonic, its hit half-hour comedy starring and executive produced by Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen, has been renewed for a second season. The streaming service also said it will expand its slate of acclaimed, expansive sci-fi series with Murderbot.
Co-created, directed, and co-written by Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco, the critically acclaimed first season of Platonic is now streaming globally on Apple TV+.
Since its global premiere this summer, Platonic has become one of the best-performing comedies on Apple TV+, receiving continuous praise from critics and fans around the world and quickly achieving a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“We’re so thrilled to have the opportunity to tell more stories with Seth, Rose, and everyone at Apple TV+ and Sony,” said co-creators Nick Stoller and Francesca Delbanco. “Season Two spoiler alert: Will and Sylvia won’t get together this time either.”
“Since the first episodes of ‘Platonic’ debuted on Apple TV+, global audiences have been charmed by the hilarious, wildly fun, and relatable friendship that Rose and Seth have brought to life through their charismatic performances,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple TV+.
“We can’t wait for viewers to see these characters encounter even more comedic mayhem in season two, thanks to our partners at Sony and to the brilliant minds of Francesca and Nick.”
Platonic follows a platonic pair of former best friends approaching midlife (Rogen and Byrne) who reconnect after a long rift. The duo’s friendship becomes all-consuming – and destabilizes their lives in a hilarious way.
In addition to Rogen and Byrne, Platonic season one starred Luke Macfarlane, Tre Hale, Andrew Lopez, and Carla Gallo. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television, where Stoller’s Global Solutions has an overall deal. Byrne, Rogen, Stoller, Delbanco, and Conor Welch executive produce.
Murderbot, meanwhile, is a new 10-episode series hailing from Academy Award-nominated creators and directors Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Mozart in the Jungle) that will star Emmy Award winner Alexander Skarsgård (Succession, Big Little Lies, The Northman) in the lead role.
In addition to starring, Skarsgård will serve as executive producer alongside the Weitz brothers. The project hails from Paramount Television Studios and is based on the bestselling and Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novels by Martha Wells.
Murderbot is an action-packed sci-fi series based on the award-winning books by Wells. It is about a self-hacking security android 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.
The Weitz brothers will write, direct, and produce under their Depth of Field banner. Andrew Miano also executive produces alongside Depth of Field. David S. Goyer executive produces alongside Keith Levine for Phantom Four. Wells will serve as a consulting producer.
The series marks the second collaboration for Apple TV+ with storyteller Goyer, who serves as showrunner and executive producer on the Apple Original epic Foundation, which recently aired its second season.
Apple TV+ is also home to a growing offering of broadly acclaimed, hit sci-fi titles, including Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Silo, For All Mankind, Invasion, and more.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.