Remember when Microsoft announced the Xbox One back in 2013? Remember when during that same reveal, they announced that a Halo TV series produced by Steven Spielberg was coming? Well, it’s been five years and up until now, we’ve had no idea where this series was or if it was even still happening. Fears of cancellation can now be quieted though as Showtime has announced that said Halo TV series has been officially ordered for 2019.
According to the Xbox Wire, Microsoft’s official Xbox news site, this show will be a live-action adaptation of the Xbox franchise with Kyle Killen, who you may or may not know of (he served as the showrunner for Lone Star, Awake, Mind Games and more), serving as the showrunner, writer and executive producer. Rise of the Planet of the Apes director, Rupert Wyatt, will direct some of the episodes and serve alongside Killen as an executive producer.
Showtime also elaborated on the show itself, stating that it will feature 10 hour-long episodes in its first season and is expected to begin production toward the beginning of next year. This adaptation, “will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant,” per Showtime. “Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.”
The President and CEO of Showtime, David Nevins, believes that Halo will be the company’s most ambitious series yet, and is excited for audiences to finally watch it.
“Halo is our most ambitious series ever, and we expect audiences who have been anticipating it for years to be thoroughly rewarded,” Nevins said. “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,” Nevins continued.
Alongside Killen and Wyatt will be Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin Television, Spielberg’s production company. Naturally, Microsoft and 343 Industries will be along for the ride as well, helping production as needed with Showtime and Amblin.
About the author
