After scouring places like the Arcadia Outskirts, the Pillar of Autumn, and even a few Covenant star ships, Showtime has found its director for the long-gestating HALO television series in British filmmaker Otto Bathurst. As per the deal, Bathurst will helm several episodes of the live-action series which is based on the best-selling Halo video game franchise from Bungie and Xbox Game Studios. Bathurst will also executive produce the show alongside AWAKE and THE BEAVER scribe Kyle Killen, who’s boarded the project as its writer, executive producer and showrunner. Showtime is also producing as part of their partnership with 343 Industries. Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television is also getting in on the action, with plans to help create nine episodes for the series that will go into production later this year.
Originally, Rupert Wyatt was expected to direct and executive produce the series, though he abandoned the project back in early December, just as casting calls were beginning to heat up. Following Wyatt’s departure, Showtime set out to find his replacement, and after an exhaustive search, secured Bathurst for the gig.
When the HALO project finally reaches Showtime, the show is expected to explore a 26th-century universe where humanity and a vicious alien race known as the Covenant are preparing to wage war against one another. When asked for comment, a Showtime rep said that HALO will “weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future.”
Are you still excited for a HALO live-action series, or has waiting since 2013 for the project to get boots on the ground made you skeptical of the brand’s relevance in today’s over-crowded television space? Let us know if you’re prepared to fight alongside Master Chief in the comments section below.