During the Xbox One unveiling, a major announcement was made for the Halo video game series. The massive, sci-fi universe that Master Chief made famous will get a major TV production that will be exclusive on Xbox Live. Here’s the five fast facts you need to know about the big name producer behind the project, the show’s budget, and other Halo on-screen rumors/reports.
1. Steven Spielberg Is Working on The Show
Microsoft announced a creative partnership between 343 Industries and Steven Spielberg to create the upcoming Halo live action TV series. Film director Steven Spielberg was shown in a pre-recorded video that announced his involvement with the series. He’s reportedly taken on the role as an executive producer. He was quoted as saying:
The Halo universe is an amazing opportunity to be at that intersection where technology and mythmaking meet to produce something really groundbreaking.
For a look at Spielberg’s comments during the Halo TV show unveiling, take a peak at the video shown above.
2. The Show’s Budget Is Comparable to A Game of Thrones’ Production Costs
The cost of production for this show is said to be pretty high, thanks to the game’s popularity and sci-fi universe trappings. Xbox Entertainment Studios’ Nancy Tellem was interviewed by Variety and revealed the possible budget for the show’s production:
The “Halo” series is the first to be announced since Tellem joined Xbox Entertainment Studios last summer. Microsoft is clearly giving Tellem a budget to play with: she described the production quality of the upcoming “Halo” series on the level of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” while other shows would resemble any high-end series on a cable or broadcast network.
The Wall Street Journal took a look at the budget for season one of Game of Thrones, which is quite expensive:
With the ambitious “Game of Thrones,” spiraling costs are a risk. The reported budget for season one was about $60 million; costs increased by roughly 15% for season two, says Michael Lombardo, HBO’s president of programming.
3. The Show Will Be Shown Over Xbox Live; It Might Appear on TV Channels
The Halo TV show will be featured on Xbox One’s Xbox Live platform, but other distribution methods are being considered (traditional TV networks and online video streaming services). Variety reported on the interactive features of the Xbox One, which will play a huge part in pushing the Halo TV show to more viewers:
Tellem sees the interactive features available on Xbox Live — whether it’s on the current Xbox 360 or new Xbox One — as a game-changer of the relationship between content creators and the viewers of their shows by offering them more details on characters or stats during sports. It shifts the power to the viewer and consumer. You can create a more enriching experience and have the viewer become more engaged. It encourages you to watch the show more than once or interactive with a live event more.
4. A Digital Series for Halo 4 Is Already Available
The Halo universe has not only taken over the world of video games, but its made major strides in the world on original online programming. The show Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is a web series that was done as a marketing effort for Halo 4. The show follows the trials of a military cadet named Thomas Lasky. After the death of his romantic interest, Chyler Silva, during a Covenant attack on Lasky’s training academy, he chooses to fight back against the alien threat and save his fellow cadets. Check out the first episode of this series above.
5. A Halo Movie Was Rumored to Be In Production
At one point, plans for a Halo movie were rumored to be materializing. Renowned movie producer Peter Jackson was even said to be in charge of the movie’s development, but plans fell through and the move was put on hold. Neill Blomkamp also tried to move the film’s production along, but his plans were also halted. Blomkamp spoke to IGN about his continued love for the Halo universe and its move potential:
I still really love the world and the universe and the mythology of Halo. If I was given control, I would really like to do that film. But that’s the problem. When something pre-exists, there’s this idea of my own interpretation versus 150 other people involved with the film’s interpretation of the same intellectual property. Then the entire film going audience has their interpretation. You can really live up to or fail in their eyes. That part isn’t appealing to me, but the original pieces are appealing.
Screen Rant posted an article that delves into the film and the good/bad news surrounding it.
