Astartes II trailer (2026)

[Domhnall]

Just for anybody interested, Syama also sent out a Patreon update about other projects he's currently working on:
 

I wanted to take a moment to share some updates on my two ongoing indie projects: Yatra and Project Valhalla (working title, and formerly known as Valhalla 45). Both are in different stages of development, but things are moving forward in a promising direction.

Yatra is an ancient/future tale that blends retro sci fi with grand fantasy. Exploring the soul's journey across lifetimes. A deal has been signed to co-develop the project with a New Zealand studio led by former Weta employees. With the studio’s expertise and connections, the goal is to pitch Yatra as both an animated series and in particular, a video game. This collaboration is still in the early stages, but I’m optimistic about the direction it’s heading.

On the other hand, Project Valhalla is a hard sci-fi mecha & horror fusion. Humanity searches for answers to its origins against a cosmic horror backdrop. I’m working with a few writers, including a Black Library veteran, to help shape the narrative and the universe. We’re currently focused on world-building, as well as developing a video game pitch and script treatments. Additionally, we have a backer who is interested in funding a proof-of-concept pilot episode if the written materials are developed to a solid state.

Project Valhalla is currently the focus of this Patreon, and your support is helping to move this project forward.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. It’s a slow process, but I’m looking forward to seeing how things evolve with Yatra and Project Valhalla in the coming months. Thank you to everyone who has supported the journey so far!

 

A Black Library veteran working on Project Valhalla sounds promising as well! 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

It looks really good, but I’m disappointed.

i wanted to see II pick up where the original left off.

 

that said this looks great. Absolutely amazing. That high speed predator scene looks awesome.

[SpecialIssue]

The classic units and imperious helms warm my heart - such a long time since I’ve been so hyped for anything Space Marine.

 

The Primarchs are distant myths - in the 41st millennium, there are only the Angels of Death to fight on into the darkening night - armed only with the ruthless human technologies of exploding bolt, mechanised blade, grinding treads and roaring turbines.

[apologist]

Love the idea that it's a Deathwatch-themed series – perhaps a single episode of action with each Chapter, then a finale with the focal members being drawn into the Deathwatch?

[DemonGSides]

2 minutes ago, apologist said:

Love the idea that it's a Deathwatch-themed series – perhaps a single episode of action with each Chapter, then a finale with the focal members being drawn into the Deathwatch?

 

As stated in the article, these aren't clips from the actual animation it's just a brief peak into what will be a Deathwatch oriented animation.

 

So probably not. Probably just Deathwatch with maybe some brief flashbacks.

[DuskRaider]

The helmet on the far right looks like Sarum pattern. Is it a Chaos Marine? Almost looks like a Night Lord. 

[Xirix]

As long as there's no random unfitting dubstep where silence was perfectly appropriate or other odd sound effect / music choices, I'm down. (Yes I know some of the changes to the original was because of copyright) Hopefully they just let the guy do his thing as much as possible.

 

Nice to see so many firstborn too. I was a little concerned they'd force a load of Primaris into it.

Edited Wednesday at 02:20 PM by Xirix

[phandaal]

1 hour ago, TheWarmaster said:

So what we’re seeing is a character intro for the marines in a Deathwatch squad. I assume the animation will be focussed on a Deathwatch team on a mission. 

 

If the story picks up where Astartes left off with a Deathwatch team coming in to deal with the artifact the Retributors found, that would be pretty cool.

[Blindhamster]

54 minutes ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

It looks really good, but I’m disappointed.

i wanted to see II pick up where the original left off.

 

that said this looks great. Absolutely amazing. That high speed predator scene looks awesome.

to be fair, even when original finished and they did the first teaser, that never looked to be the case (it was always a montage of different chapters)

 

perhaps the retributor marine will be the guy from astartes and we'll learn what happened to him

[Alby the Slayer]

2026 is not so far away and this is great news! I'm thrilled.

 

Now, if for the 2026 exclusive miniature wh+ they will not give us a firstborn truescale retributors marine, I will be quite disappointed!

[Matcap86]

HYPE

[Robbienw]

Lots of Firstborn.

 

No Primaris.

 

PERFECT.

[grailkeeper]

2 hours ago, Emperor Ming said:

2026 for a short animation......

 

 

We don't know its short.

 

 

It could be feature length

 

It's probably not too long but a boy can dream.

[Matcap86]

Having watched another 5 times, cleaned up the drool and happy tears...

 

This is 40k for me; Syama Pedersen just gets it. Think this is the happiest I've been with a warhammer representation since... maybe the original Astartes? 

[Ripper.McGuirl]

I like that there was no dialog in the teaser, and there was lots of action, but it wasn't ALL action. There was so much life and character in just these short blurbs, it's almost hard to believe. Truly excited to see what this becomes.

[Armchair Warlord]

Looks nice!

And personally, I'm very happy there's no Primaris!

[dalmer]

1 hour ago, grailkeeper said:

We don't know its short.

 

 

It could be feature length

 

It's probably not too long but a boy can dream.

... and I believe the creator said it took him just over four years to make Astartes, so a lot of time invested into a "short" series

[RedFox]

The predator shot almost made me cry

 

This is amazing 

[m0nolith]

That was beyond awesome!

Damn, I really miss Firstborn in the 40k setting. 

 

[phandaal]

1 hour ago, Armchair Warlord said:

Looks nice!

And personally, I'm very happy there's no Primaris!

 

31 minutes ago, m0nolith said:

That was beyond awesome!

Damn, I really miss Firstborn in the 40k setting. 

 

 

Agreed with both. Primaris can be cool too, like that excellent recent animation for Titus, but it is nice when GW remembers they have 10,000 years of history to pick from between the Heresy and the modern era. Makes the universe feel as big and old as it should.

 

Astartes is set in M39. Wonder if this one will be too?

 

Edit - now that I think of it, if this has Scythes who fought the Tyranids then it would have to be M41.

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:39 PM by phandaal

[Borbarad]

3 hours ago, DemonGSides said:

 

As stated in the article, these aren't clips from the actual animation it's just a brief peak into what will be a Deathwatch oriented animation.

To think that hey were almost discontinued as an space marine army 

[One Paul Murray]

The one on the far right, with the white hand print over the helmet, immediately struck me as being that fan made Soul Haunters chapter, that some chap on Instagram made and people followed.

 

Given where SP came from, could they have dipped into their wider community twice?

[One Paul Murray]

5 hours ago, Fenriwolf said:

Glad to see this (even if i'll probably never get around watching the end result) 

 

Can't avoid thinking that this is what they should have done with WH tv from the start to push/capitalize on the interest, instead of coming to it years later

Is this not the point that other people were making about timescales though? If animation is a long process then it'll take them time to get things out that they commissioned on Day One of WHTV.

[DemonGSides]

20 minutes ago, One Paul Murray said:

The one on the far right, with the white hand print over the helmet, immediately struck me as being that fan made Soul Haunters chapter, that some chap on Instagram made and people followed.

 

Given where SP came from, could they have dipped into their wider community twice?

 

Probably.

 

18 minutes ago, One Paul Murray said:

Is this not the point that other people were making about timescales though? If animation is a long process then it'll take them time to get things out that they commissioned on Day One of WHTV.

 

Yeah animation of any real quality is a long and arduous process that most people don't really think about, or worse assume that is easy because it's computers. Meanwhile the reason why companies like Pixar and DreamWorks make it looks easy is cuz of grueling schedules, huge animation teams and of course, plenty of money hats. 

 

GW is big but not quite that big. 

[Nephaston]

Gorgeous.

 

Now we wait.