The much-anticipated “Halo” TV series is moving from Showtime to ViacomCBS’ Paramount+ streaming service, a rebranded and expanded CBS All Access, ViacomCBS announced during its streaming-centric investor day Wednesday.
The adaptation of the popular Xbox video game, which stars Pablo Schrieber, is currently in production in Budapest and set to premiere on Paramount+ in early 2022. Other cast members starring on “Halo” include Shabana Azmi, Bentley Kalu, Natasha Culzac, Kate Kennedy and Yerin Ha.
“Halo,” which was ordered to series at Showtime in 2018, “will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant,” per its official description. “‘Halo’ will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.
Along with Schreiber as Master Chief Spartan John-117, “Halo” stars Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey, the brilliant, conflicted and inscrutable creator of the Spartan super soldiers, and Jen Taylor as Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race. Additional stars include Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Kalu, Kate Kennedy, Charlie Murphy and Danny Sapani.
It’s been slow going for the “Halo” adaptation over the past few years, which underwent a director change in 2019 when Otto Bathurst stepped in for Rupert Wyatt, and, much like every other series, has been delayed due to the pandemic.
“Halo” will be showrun by Steven Kane (“The Last Ship”) and Kyle Killen. Executive producers include Kane, Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin Television in partnership with 343 Industries, director Bathurst and Toby Leslie for One Big Picture and Killen and Scott Pennington for Chapter Eleven. Kiki Wolfkill, Frank O’Connor and Bonnie Ross serve as executive producers for 343 Industries.
The series will be distributed globally by CBS Studios International.
“From all the early glimpses we’ve seen, it’s crystal clear that ‘Halo’ is a visually stunning thrill-ride, anchored in riveting, character-driven storytelling,” David Nevins, chief creative officer at CBS and chairman and chief executive officer of Showtime Networks Inc, said at the ViacomCBS streaming event. “With such tremendous appeal to every audience, we realized ‘Halo’ had the potential to become a defining show for what will become the broadest streaming platform at ViacomCBS – the new Paramount+. And Showtime is looking forward to continuing to produce this incredible series with 343 and Amblin for Paramount+.”
Deadline first reported the news the “Halo” TV series had changed platforms, which came on Wednesday ahead of ViacomCBS’ streaming presentation.