The Halo live-action television series is finally, actually happening

The Halo film that was bandied about a decade or so ago is dead and buried, but the live-action television series that was announced in 2013 is finally shaping up to be a real, actual thing that you will someday be able to watch. Showtime announced today via the Xbox Wire that it has ordered ten episodes for the series' first season. 

Kyle Killen, creator of the Awake television series, will serve as executive producer, writer, and showrunner, while Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt is signed to direct multiple episodes. 

“Halo is our most ambitious series ever," Showtime CEO David 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." 

"As we think about what it means to bring videogame franchises to movie or TV - the biggest challenge can often be finding the right balance between moments fans have already experienced and moments that have yet to be experienced through a different medium, perspective, or creative lens," 343 Industry head of transmedia Kiki Wolfkill said in a separate statement. "We are excited to navigate these creative waters to bring you something that is both respectful of what you already know and love, but also new and surprising and enthralling." 

One interesting thing about the announcement is that it makes no mention of Steven Spielberg, who has previously been touted as an important part of the creative team. 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross described the series in the 2013 announcement as being "created in partnership with 343 Industries and one of the best storytellers of all time, Mr. Steven Spielberg." That descriptor has stuck, with both TV Guide and Screenrant calling it "Steven Spielberg's Halo" series earlier this year.   

Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment production company is still involved, and Wolfkill referenced him in her statement, saying that Showtime, Amblim, and Spielberg "have been gracious partners in helping put together the right creative team to bring Halo to television." So it's not as if the connection has been totally severed, but I do wonder if it's been oversold.   

It's purely speculation on my part, but one person who might be involved, despite not being mentioned, is former Bungie composer Marty O'Donnell. O'Donnell, who won multiple awards for his soundtracks, was fired by original Halo studio Bungie in 2014 and eventually won a lawsuit against it; he teased on Twitter yesterday that a Halo reunion might be in the works. At the time I took it as a reference to Halo Infinite, but the timing makes me wonder if perhaps this is what he was getting at.

Alas, it'll be awhile yet before we get to kick back and watch Master Chief (or perhaps a fresh, new, made-for-television cast playing a vital, never-before-seen supporting role in his adventures) do his thing on the small screen. The Halo series isn't scheduled to actually enter production until early 2019.   

Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

Latest in Halo
Saber Interactive's head honcho pulled a wild stunt to nab the Halo: Combat Evolved remaster, telling Microsoft he'd do the job for free before ultimately squeezing the publisher for millions
Halo 2 e3 2003 demo
Halo 2's playable E3 2003 demo is an astounding feat of preservation, and everything great about PC gaming
Halo Infinite
Welcome to shooter bizarro world: First Fortnite goes FPS, now Halo Infinite's adding a third person mode
Team members standing in an underground cave
'Y'all killed it': Survive the Undead, a community-made PvE zombie mode, is bringing players back to Halo Infinite
Halo Redshift fan mod Trailer Still
Check out the trailer for this big, cooperative Halo campaign mod
halo infinite season 3 echoes within
Halo Infinite is done with seasons, will get smaller 'content updates' from now on
Latest in News
Man facing camera
The Day Before studio reportedly sues Russian website for calling infamous disaster-game a 'scam'
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers
Sony, which is making a Helldivers 2 movie, is also making a new Starship Troopers movie, but it's not based on the Starship Troopers movie we already have
Assassin's Creed meets PUBG
Ubisoft is reportedly talking to Tencent about creating a new business entity to manage Assassin's Creed and other big games
Resident Evil Village - Lady Dimitrescu
'It really truly changed my life in every possible way': Lady Dimitrescu actor says her Resident Evil Village role was just as transformative for her as it was for roughly half the internet in 2021
Storm trooper hero
Another live service shooter is getting shut down, this time before it even launched on Steam