Apple TV+’s new sci-fi action comedy seriesMurderbotis already making waves thanks to early reviews that have revealed the show to be nothing short of spectacular. Debuting with a100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the project featuresAlexander Skarsgårdin his first big science fiction role, though he’s certainly no stranger to the genre. Still, it seems like an interesting first choice, and one that Skarsgård said he was drawn to thanks to his love ofMurderbot’s unique main character.
Speaking with Comicbookmovie.com, Skarsgård dished about why he chose to boardMurderbotfor Apple TV+, which is based on the series of books by author Martha Wells. Portraying a partly biological security cyborg that secretly gains free will, the Swedish actor told the outlet that he’s had an affinity for the sci-fi genre since he was a kid. As such, he’s always wanted to play in the sandbox of androids and wonder, but was waiting for the right project to come along.
“I’m a child of the 80s. I grew up watching Star Wars. It’s a bit of a dream to be part of a sci-fi project. I wanted to wait for the right one. I’ve read a couple of things over the years that weren’t quite for me, but this felt perfect.”
Alexander Skarsgård’s Existential Cyborg Lights Up the Funny, Action-Packed ‘Murderbot’
A stellar cast, solid storytelling and offbeat humor enliven Apple TV+’s latest sci-fi series.
Having already dabbled in sci-fi thanks to projects likeBattleshipandInfinity Pool, Skarsgård is now front and center in Murderbot for all 10 episodes. It was a big commitment, but one that he also noted he had to do thanks to the show’s main character, who he said was something fresh in a sea of mediocrity:
“Tonally, it was something I was drawn to. It was so idiosyncratic and different and unexpected. I had no interest in playing a more generic or derivative character. This felt like something I hadn’t seen or read before.”
Alexander Skarsgård Calls ‘Murderbot’ a “Socially Awkward Android”
When you hear the name Murderbot, your mind automatically goes to something cool,like the design for Robocop. You don’t necessarily think of it as being a construct that would rather binge-watch futuristic soap operas all day than do its job, which Skarsgård said is the whole point: “We wanted a contrast and a juxtaposition between the name of the character and the way we designed the look of the character,” he said, adding:
“We wanted a tough name like Murderbot, who looks like he could definitely beat you up, but it’s a fun contrast when you actually meet it. It’s not a testosterone-filled fighting machine. It’s a very socially awkward android who wants to be left alone to watch Sanctuary Moon.”
If critics are to be believed, the results thus far have proven to be nothing short of amazing. Called “something utterly brand new” by Inverse’s Ryan Britt, you can check out the first two episodes ofMurderbotwhen they hit Apple TV+ on May 16, and look for the remaining eight episodes to air every Friday until its conclusion on July 11.
Source:Comicbookmovie.com
