Showtime's Halo TV show finally enters production
More than a year after the series was announced, Showtime has revealed that its Halo TV show is finally in production. The network shared an image of the show's cast alongside its announcement, saying that the production will be kicking off imminently. The news follows years of rumors, speculations, and false starts involving movies and shows based on the Halo franchise.
The first Halo game from Microsoft was released nearly two decades ago, ushering in a franchise that has proven popular in the years since. Despite this popularity, attempts to bring the video game franchise to the big (and small) screen haven't proven fruitful. Movies have been announced, only to fade away to nothing; TV shows have been teased, then failed to launch.
The cast is assembled. The table reads are complete. Production on the @Showtime Halo series is about to begin! pic.twitter.com/KNrPLYx260
— Halo on Paramount+ (@HaloTheSeries) November 8, 2019
Things changed last year when Showtime finally found a director and writer for the series that was first announced way back in 2013. The show's first season will feature 9 episodes and be made available on Showtime. As well, the network recently revealed that Charlie Murphy, Danny Sapani, and Olive Gray have joined the series.
Production will take place in Budapest, according to Showtime, with Pablo Schrieber playing the role of Master Chief. Kyle Killen and Steve Kane are still on the project as co-showrunners and executive producers. Otto Bathurst is directing the show. Both Amblin Television and 343 Industries have partnered with Showtime in producing the show.
The Halo TV show will — assuming there aren't any additional delays — arrive on the small screen in 2021. Showtime is available as a premium cable network, but is also available as a streaming service for $10.99/month; new customers can get a 14-day free trial to check it out.