Halo may not have made it to the big screen, but it's getting its own TV show.
And one helluva producer.
As part of the Xbox One reveal Tuesday, Microsoft unveiled plans for Halo: The Television Series, which will air exclusively on Xbox Live. To assuage any fan fears about the show's quality, the Redmond-based company has partnered with legendary movie-maker Steven Spielberg to create it.
Spielberg will executive produce the live-action series, working with 343 Industries and the newly created Xbox Entertainment Studios.
Spielberg appeared at the unveil event via a short video, where he said he was excited to be involved with "the heroes, worlds, and wonders that Halo will take us to."
"Halo has always been more than a game," said 343 Industries' Bonnie Ross, who introduced the show. "The Halo universe is an amazing opportunity to be at that intersection where technology and myth-making meet to produce something truly groundbreaking,"
While there's plenty of cause for excitement, there are even more questions. Microsoft didn't discuss who else would be involved in the series. We're not sure whether it will focus on franchise heroes Master Chief and Cortana or the broader Halo universe. And there's no word -- or even a hint -- about when it will begin airing (or if production has even begun on the series).
The move to television comes after Microsoft has been unable to find a suitable studio home for the Halo franchise. Some years ago, director Peter Jackson was attached to a Halo film project as producer, but things fell apart due to budget concerns. Studios were nervous about the high price-tag of making the film, given the sluggish box-office performance of other game-based movies.
With the hiring of Nancy Tellem, former president of CBS Television Studios, last September, Microsoft committed itself to a more serious focus on original entertainment content. Where better to start than with its flagship franchise? VIDEO
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