For the better part of the last half decade, the Halo TV series has been stuck in development at Showtime. However, Halo once again has momentum and Showtime offered a few key updates at the Television Critics Association Press Tour. But perhaps the most intriguing news for fans of the video game series is that Master Chief will have a leading role in the series.
Via IGN, Showtime’s President of Programming, Gary Levine, confirmed that Master Chief will be one of the featured characters on the Halo television show. However, Levine noted that Master Chief won’t be the only protagonist on the series. He also briefly addressed the question about whether Master Chief’s face would be seen on the show, since it has been hidden in the video games. “[That] is a key question and an important part of our series, is all I’ll say.” offered Levine.
Levine also told reporters that the show will have a new story that will be “incredibly respectful of the canon” created for the video game franchise. Kyle Killen will be the Halo showrunner, while Rise of the Planet of the Apes helmer Rupert Wyatt will direct several episodes from the initial run of ten in the first season. Levine also spoke about the network’s approach to the series and why Killen was chosen to be the show’s primary writer.
“We made a conscious decision to hire a writer not known for sci-fi and not known for big battle movies, because that’s already baked into the Halo franchise and we will service that,” said Levine. “We also wanted to ensure that we were getting beneath the formidable armor of the Spartans and really getting inside the team drama so it felt like it belonged on Showtime.”
Showtime CEO David Nevins added that he has already read Killen’s scripts for the show which he praised for establishing a “brilliant, expansive world” which may be Showtime’s “most ambitious series ever.”
Showtime’s Halo TV series may begin production later this year, but it’s not expected to premiere before 2020.
