SNAPSHOT
Aliens threaten human existence in an epic 26th-century showdown. A live-action TV series based on the video game Halo. This new Halo series is created by and developed by Steven Kane (creator of The Last Ship, producer on The Closer and American Dad!) and Kyle Killen. The series scripts are also written by Steve Kane. Featuring episodes directed by Jonathan Liebesman (of Darkness Falls, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, The Killing Room, Battle Los Angeles, Wrath of the Titans, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Otto Bathurst (of 2018’s Robin Hood, Criminal Justice, Peaky Blinders, His Dark Materials), Roel Reiné (of The Delivery, The Lost Tribe, Bear, Wolf Town, 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded, The Admiral, Redbad), and Jessica Lowrey (of Emergence, Doom Patrol, Queen of the South, Heels). Produced by Sheila Hockin and Charlotte Keating. (synopsis courtesy First Showing)
Much as I love the idea of them, and the escapism and skill-sharpening and community they engender, I have never really been into video games.
It’s more aptitude and skill – none in both cases – than interest in the genre, which means my exposure to HALO has simply been in the general miasma of devotion and discussion it seems to bring forth among pop cultures media sites and users.
All of which means that I approach the upcoming series from the point of view of it being solely a streaming show and nothing else, and honestly, what I see I really like.
The story has all the hallmarks of a classic big, bold and important space opera with arresting landscapes, great characters and the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance – what’s not to like?
In an year where the pandemic continues to make life grim and distinctly unpalatable, having these sorts of enveloping sci-fi stories to escape into is a real gift and one I will be sure to make use of as much as I can since it’s a damn site better than reality at the moment!
HALO debuts on Paramount+ on 24 March, 2022.