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Why Are 'Warhammer' Fans So Hyped About 'Astartes 2?' The Long-Awaited Sequel To The '40K' Fan Film Explained
When New Zealand-based artist Syama Pedersen first released Astartes seven years ago, Warhammer 40K fans were taken aback by the slick, hyper-detailed animation that turned the universe's Space Marines into terrifying gods of war, earning universal praise and even a nod from the table-top RPG's parent company Games Workshop.
After years of silence from Pederson, who was officially hired by GW in 2020, fans feared that his future plans for the series were lost in the Warp, but this week, Games Workshop just released a trailer for Astartes II, confirming a sequel to the fan-favorite film led by the same man who introduced the Retributors chapter to the lore.
The teaser hints at a gripping new story, stunning visuals and a focus on the elite, alien-fighting Deathwatch faction. With Pedersen back at the helm, excitement is at an all-time high. Here's a recap of all the reactions to Astartes 2, as well as a bit of background on the original mini-series and why it's such a big deal for the fandom.
What Was the First 'Astartes' Film, and How Did It Become Canon?
Astartes was originally released as a five-part animated series created by Syama Pedersen. It was first posted to YouTube on March 26th, 2018, with four more installations being posted up to April 2020.
The short film followed a squad of Space Marines, also known as the Adeptus Astartes (hence the series' name), executing a high-stakes mission to hunt down fleeing chaos renegades and their leaders and bring down the Emperor's justice for their crimes.
Fans lauded Pederson's high-quality animation and faithful representation of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The project's success eventually caught the attention of Games Workshop, the creators of Warhammer 40K, who officially brought Pedersen on board in 2020 to continue his work under their Warhammer Animation division.
This collaboration marked a significant milestone, and the fan-made project transitioned into the official 40K canon.
How Did Fans React To The First 'Astartes' Film?
Warhammer fans had overwhelmingly positive reactions to Pederson's fan project, with Redditor /u/TheTurbanatore making a post to the /r/Warhammer40k subreddit back in 2019 about the "Retributors" chapter introduced by Pederson and later officially integrated into Warhammer cannon, gathering over 9,000 upvotes and sparking much discourse from the community.
Other fans noted how the fan film was their first time truly understanding the power of the Space Marines, with Redditor /u/ByzantineBasileus writing, "The short film 'Astartes' has now made me terrified of Space Marines," and delving into how the first fan film's animation highlighted the characters' "mental and physical response times," in a significant way.
In addition to introducing the setting and TTRPG to throngs of new fans, the first Astartes series also spawned countless memes, fan art and other content since the late 2010s as it cemented itself as perhaps the most adored Warhammer depiction of all time.
What's Up with 'Astartes II,' and Why Are People So Excited for It?
On January 29th, 2025, Games Workshop released the official teaser trailer for Astartes II, the much-anticipated sequel to the original series, after many years of little update on the highly anticipated project.
The 80-second teaser offers glimpses into the backstories of five Space Marines from various chapters, hinting at a narrative that delves into their former lives before they donned the iconic "I" symbol of the Inquisition and became part of the storied Deathwatch.
The final scene prominently features the Deathwatch helmet, suggesting that the series will focus on the elite unit of Space Marines known for combating alien (or xenos) threats.
Fans are particularly excited about Pedersen's continued involvement, anticipating that Astartes 2 will build upon the intense, high-quality animation and storytelling that made the original a success. The series is slated for release in 2026 on the Warhammer TV streaming platform.
How Are 'Warhammer' Fans Reacting To 'Astartes II'?
Many fans posted jokes about Pederson returning to Warhammer 40K and his beloved adaptation, posting "HE'S BACK!" memes on sites like Reddit and Twitter / X, as well as countless reaction videos and discussion threads.
Redditor /u/Burlyswing posted a You're As Beautiful As the Day I Lost You meme to the 40k meme subreddit /r/Grimdank soon after the trailer for the sequel dropped, while Redditor /u/the-baguette153 posted a Vince McMahon Reaction meme that gathered over 4,000 upvotes in a day.
Other fans took the opportunity to break down the trailer and all its references, as seen in an X thread posted by user @Skitzy___ on January 29th, 2025.
ASTARTES 2 Teaser Breakdown#warhammer40k #astartes2 #astartes pic.twitter.com/RWoyL6Dvk2
— Skitzy (@Skitzy___) January 29, 2025
It'll be a long wait for many fans who've already waited five years since the last part of the original Astartes dropped, but if the teaser trailer and reactions to it are anything to go off, it seems like Astartes 2 will be another massive moment for the Warhammer 40,000 franchise as it continues to grow in recent years with major projects like Henry Cavill's Amazon Prime TV series and the Space Marine 2 video game.
For the full history of Astartes, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
