The idea of a “Halo” film or TV series have been floating around for well over a decade. From rumblings about a potential film in 2004 to a few years later when Peter Jackson was on board to develop the film in 2008 with Neil Blompkamp to direct, it seemed like the idea of the massively popular sci-fi video game getting the big-budget live-action treatment was a pipe dream. Well, enter Showtime, and now it appears that we might be getting a “Halo” TV series sooner than later.
According to reports, Showtime has announced they are partnering with writer-producer Kyle Killen and director Rupert Wyatt to bring the beloved video game to their network as a new 10-episode TV series. The series, much like the game, will follow the battle between a group of soldiers in the far future as they fight an alien threat known as the Covenant.
Killen is on board to act as showrunner, as well as a writer on the series. Wyatt, who is best known for his work on “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is signed on to direct several episodes of the series, as well as serve as an executive producer. And the legendary Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment is going to produce the series, as well.
“‘Halo’ is our most ambitious series ever, and we expect audiences who have been anticipating it for years to be thoroughly rewarded,” said David Nevins, president-CEO of Showtime Networks. “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.”
Even though “Halo” isn’t a fantasy story, in the same vein as “Game of Thrones,” it’s clear that Showtime is looking at the sci-fi franchise to be their crown jewel, much in the same way ‘Thrones’ has been for HBO in recent years. The trick is, of course, in the execution, as video game properties have long been mired with horrible live-action adaptations.
No word on a release date for the series, but production on “Halo” is scheduled to begin in early 2019.