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 highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000 animation, Astartes 2, with a stunning teaser trailer that has ignited fan excitement. However, a crucial detail has emerged: none of the footage in the teaser will actually appear in the final animation.

Astartes 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the fan-made original, created by Syama Pedersen. Widely considered the pinnacle of Warhammer 40,000 animation (surpassed only perhaps by Amazon's recent Space Marine 2 short), its impact is undeniable. Astartes' success even inspired Saber Interactive's hugely popular Space Marine 2 video game, leading Games Workshop to bring Pedersen on board for the sequel.

Years of silence surrounding Astartes 2 fueled speculation of cancellation. Then, on January 29th, the surprise teaser trailer dropped, showcasing breathtaking visuals.

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 trailer depicts an unprecedented scale of animation for Warhammer 40,000, featuring intense melee combat, explosive firefights, thrilling vehicle battles, and even epic spaceship clashes. Various Space Marine chapters engage in diverse environments against a range of foes, including Tyranids, Orks, and Tau.

While the teaser masterfully builds anticipation for Astartes 2, Games Workshop clarified on their Warhammer Community website that the footage is not from the actual animation. Instead, it's a compilation of scenes representing the past lives of characters featured in the upcoming series. A subtle hint at the story's direction is included, leaving fans to speculate.

“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.”

The lack of a disclaimer on the trailer itself is a potential oversight, as fans viewing the teaser will likely assume the depicted scenes will be in Astartes 2. Many may not see the clarification on the Warhammer Community website.

Despite this, the teaser's impact is undeniable, sparking widespread speculation. The final image hints at the characters' eventual roles in an Inquisition-led Deathwatch Terminator squad.

Meanwhile, Space Marine 2 fans are expressing their envy, hoping some elements from the Astartes 2 teaser, perhaps even the capes, might find their way into the game. With ongoing updates to Space Marine 2, it's possible Saber Interactive could draw inspiration from Astartes once again.