Long-Awaited Warhammer 40,000 Animation Astartes 2 Is Back From the Dead With Incredible Teaser Trailer — but There’s a Catch

Games Workshop has resurrected the long-awaited Warhammer 40,000 animation, Astartes 2, with a stunning teaser trailer that has captivated fans. However, there's a twist: none of the footage shown in the teaser will actually appear in the final animation.

Astartes 2 is the sequel to the fan-made original Astartes, created by Syama Pedersen. Widely considered the pinnacle of Warhammer 40,000 animation, surpassed only perhaps by Amazon's recent Space Marine 2 animation for the Secret Level anthology, its impact is undeniable. Its success even inspired Saber Interactive's highly successful Space Marine 2, leading Games Workshop to bring Pedersen in-house for the sequel.

Years of silence surrounding Astartes 2 fueled speculation of cancellation. Then, on January 29th, the surprise teaser trailer dropped, thrilling Warhammer 40,000 fans.

It's not even February yet and the Ws for 2025 won't stop coming! Astartes is back, Brothers! pic.twitter.com/sYhu5LjwiC

— Champions of the Ice (@ChampionsOTIce2) January 29, 2025

The teaser showcases breathtaking visuals, depicting never-before-seen scale and quality in Warhammer 40,000 animation. Melee combat, ranged firefights, vehicle battles, and even spaceship clashes are all spectacularly rendered. Various Space Marine chapters clash across diverse environments, battling against Tyranids, Orks, and Tau.

While the teaser generates immense hype, Games Workshop clarified on their Warhammer Community website that the footage is not from the actual animation:

“This teaser trailer is not actually clips from the new animation, instead showing a compilation of shots that represent the former lives of the characters that will appear in the show. There’s a pretty unsubtle hint at the end as to the nature of the final story...We’ll leave you to speculate and start putting the pieces together yourselves.”

Despite its impressive visuals, the teaser is purely promotional. The lack of a disclaimer might lead to future disappointment for viewers expecting the teaser's content to be in the final product. Many fans won't see the Warhammer Community post clarifying this.

Nevertheless, speculation is rampant. The final image hints at the characters forming an Inquisition-led Deathwatch Terminator squad.

Meanwhile, Space Marine 2 fans are already expressing envy, hoping some of the teaser's elements, particularly the capes, might find their way into the game. With Saber Interactive continuing to update Space Marine 2, perhaps a new wave of inspiration from Astartes is on the horizon.