WIth Halo: Infinite releasing to critical and commercial success, Microsoft has once again launched their flagship sci-fi/action franchise into the center of attention among the gaming community. However, the franchise has famously been attempting to get a film or television adaptation of Halo off the ground, and a live-action series will now be released on Paramount+ after many years of development. Now, a trailer for their Halo series has been released during the Game Awards, showcasing Master Chief in action.
The Halo franchise spans two decades of game releases, with Microsoft working alongside Bungie and 343 Studios to create some of the most exemplary and influential games in the medium. A live-action series based on Halo had been in pre-production since May 2013 when West Side Story director Steven Speilberg was announced as an executive producer. It wasn't until June 2018 when Showtime ordered a ten-episode season of Halo, though that partnership ultimately did not last, as Paramount+ announced during ViacomCBS's Investor Day event last February that they had acquired the series from Showtime.
The trailer showcases landscapes inspired by the Halo franchise as well as Master Chief (played by Pablo Schreiber) and various other characters. The trailer is brief, but it showcases Paramount's dedication to providing audiences with a faithful adaptation of the beloved franchise.
Joining Schreiber is an exciting ensemble cast that includes Natasha McElhone, Yerin Ha, Bokeem Woodbine, and Jen Taylor who reprises her franchise role as the voice of Cortana. The series is created by Steven Kane and Kyle Killen, who have credits on many notable television projects including The Last Ship and Mind Games.
With a slew of hit original series including The Good Fight, Evil, Star Trek: Discovery, and the iCarly series reboot, Paramount+ has built an impressive library of titles to become a significant player in the streaming landscape. Up to this point, however, the platform has been waiting for a big sci-fi/action item—something outside of their abundant collection of Star Trek titles that can approach the genre in a different way. With a unique militaristic focus on science fiction, a live-action Halo series has a big opportunity to captivate audiences all around the world. If the trailer is any indication of the series' quality, then audiences are in for a wild ride.
Paramount's live-action Halo series releases in 2022.
Source: Paramount Plus|YouTube