Since its release in 2001, Halo has captured the attention of gamers with its story of an interstellar war. The franchise has expanded since the early days to include multiple titles, the latest of which released in December 2021. But now it’s time for Halo to come to the screen in a different way as a television series. Paramount+ is adapting the world of the game for television, and since they just premiered the first episode at South by Southwest (SXSW) on Monday, they’ve released a new look. The latest Halo TV series trailer shows more of this ambitious adaptation with action, emotion, and a lot of danger.
The Halo synopsis states:
Dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant, Halo the series will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future. Nobody can save humanity alone—not even the Master Chief.
No one should have to save humanity alone. Who needs that kind of pressure? But if anyone could come close to the task, it’s Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber). The Spartan soldier, also known as John-117, is Earth’s most advanced warrior. He’s prepared for combat for his entire life, and by the looks of it, the Halo TV series will give him plenty to fight.
The story will undoubtedly feature departures from the video game. Most notably, the Halo TV series will show Master Chief’s face for the first time in the franchise’s history. As someone who doesn’t have an attachment to the Halo games, that seems key for showing the character’s humanity in this intense war. However, The Mandalorian has proved it’s possible for a fully obscured character to carry plenty of emotional heft.
Natascha McElhone joins Schreiber in the series as Dr. Halsey. Jen Taylor portrays Cortana, the most advanced AI in human history, and potentially the key to the survival of the human race.
Halo premieres on Paramount+ on March 24.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.