Astartes II Teaser Sets December Warhammer+ Release for Deathwatch Sequel

Games Workshop has released a new teaser for *Astartes II*, giving fans their clearest look yet at the long-awaited follow-up to Syama Pedersen’s acclaimed *Warhammer 40,000* animation. The sequel is scheduled to arrive on Warhammer+ in December 2026. ^[1]

The 42-second teaser, released Sept. 18 as part of a Warhammer Preview presentation, is brief but heavy on atmosphere. It highlights Deathwatch Space Marines and Terminators moving through what appears to be a claustrophobic, derelict environment, with storm bolters, power-fist combat and helmeted warriors dominating the footage. Games Workshop’s official description reduces the pitch to three words: “Deathwatch. Terminators.” ^[1]

The imagery has prompted comparisons to a Space Hulk-style scenario, although Games Workshop has not formally described the story as an adaptation of a specific game or campaign. The official Warhammer Community article points to “ominous surroundings,” multiple Space Marine characters and what may be several Chapters represented in the production. Those observations are presented as trailer reading rather than confirmed plot details. ^[2]

What is confirmed is that *Astartes II* will be longer than the original. Games Workshop said the new project will be “significantly longer” than its predecessor, though it has not announced an episode count, total runtime or exact December release date. ^[2]

That distinction matters because the original *Astartes* was not initially a conventional studio series. Pedersen created the fan animation independently before Games Workshop brought him into its official animation operation. In a 2021 announcement, the company said its animation team had been impressed by his work and that development on a follow-up had already begun. ^[3]

The original project became notable for its economical storytelling: heavily armored Space Marines, brutal firefights and alien threats communicated largely through action, sound design and visual detail rather than extended dialogue. The new teaser suggests a broader military scenario, with Deathwatch iconography and Terminator armor expanding the scale beyond the small squad seen in the earlier short series. However, the footage does not establish the identities of the characters, the enemy they are pursuing or whether the sequel directly continues the original narrative.

The teaser also arrives after a long period of limited information. Games Workshop identified the return of *Astartes* as part of its 2026 animation slate in January, but at that stage provided no precise premiere date. ^[4] The September trailer now narrows the window to December and confirms that the series will be available through Warhammer+, the company’s subscription service for animation, hobby programming, digital publications and related content. ^[5]

For U.S. viewers, the most important practical detail is that the release is tied to Warhammer+ rather than a general free YouTube launch. The first *Astartes* material became widely known online through fan circulation and official promotional channels, but Games Workshop’s current announcement places *Astartes II* on Warhammer TV for subscribers. ^[2] The company has not announced a separate free-to-watch release or a distribution arrangement with a major streaming service.

The sequel’s production also illustrates Games Workshop’s continuing effort to turn fan-driven Warhammer animation into a formal content pipeline. In 2021, the company announced collaborations with several animation creators and studios while positioning Warhammer+ as a home for original shows. ^[3] Since then, the service has expanded its animated output across different Warhammer settings and formats, including short series and one-off episodes. ^[4]

The new footage is therefore less a plot reveal than a positioning statement. *Astartes II* appears to be promising a larger, more feature-like action experience while preserving the visual weight that made the original so influential among Warhammer fans. Deathwatch operatives and Terminators offer a natural escalation: both are elite formations within the setting, and both allow the animators to emphasize scale, armor, weapons and close-quarters combat without requiring a detailed synopsis.

For now, Games Workshop is withholding the details that would answer the biggest questions. There is no exact premiere date, runtime, episode structure or confirmed synopsis. The teaser confirms the December 2026 release window, the Warhammer+ destination and the presence of Deathwatch and Terminators—but the story itself remains under wraps. ^[1][2]