It’s been talked about and rumours for years. But now we can see what actually happens with a Halo live action TV show ordered by Showtime. The network has commisioned a 10 episode season based on the Halo universe. And already confirmed as involved are Kyle Killen (Lone Star Awake) as executive producer, writer and showrunner. Also signed up is Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist and Rise of the Planet of the Apes) who will direct multiple episodes as well as executive produce the series. The programmes will each be one hour, giving us 600 minutes of live Halo action.
Alongside Halo studio 343 Industries and Showtime will be creative and production partners at Amblin Television. Part of the company co-founded by Steven Spielberg, they’ve co-produced series going back to 1985 including science fiction series Reverie, Extant (cancelled in 2015), Under the Dome (concluded in 2015), and more.
“Halo is our most ambitious series ever, and we expect audiences who have been anticipating it for years to be thoroughly rewarded,” said Nevins. “In the history of television, there simply has never been enough great science fiction. Kyle Killen’s scripts are thrilling, expansive and provocative, Rupert Wyatt is a wonderful, world-building director, and their vision of Halo will enthrall fans of the game while also drawing the uninitiated into a world of complex characters that populate this unique universe.”
“This is a truly exciting moment for the Halo franchise,” stated Kiki Wolfkill, head of Halo Transmedia at 343 Industries. “Together with our creative and production partners at SHOWTIME and Amblin Television, the Halo television series will represent new and exciting way for fans to enter and engage with the Halo universe. We can’t wait to share more on what’s ahead.”
Will the Halo live action TV series live up to the wait? We’ll find out fairly soon, as the series will enter production in early 2019. Previously we’ve seen failed attempts for a Halo film which was going to be based on an Alex Garland script and directed by Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro and then Neil Blomkamp. We’ve also seen the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn series of five 15 minute episodes. Master Chief was played by Daniel Cudmore, who also played Colossus in the X-Men films, and voiced by Alex Puccinelli rather than Steve Downes, who was the previous voice artist on the series. In 2014 we also saw the live-action Halo-Nightfall web series starring Mike Colter, directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan and produced by Ridley Scott.
There’s no word on the cast yet. But it does mean more interest in a recent tweet by longtime Halo composer Mart O’Donnell who shared a picture of a meeting with Microsoft Studios senior creative director, former Bungie employee and author of two Halo novels Joseph Staten, and the voice of Cortana and Dr Halsey, Jen Taylor. Given O’Donnell won a lawsuit against original Halo developers Bungie, perhaps the meeting may have been TV-related?
If you want to catch up, you can find the DVD editions of both listed below for sale via Amazon.
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