Halo is an American military science fiction television series developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane for the streaming service Paramount+. Based on the video game franchise created by Bungie and developed by 343 Industries, the series follows a 26th-century war between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant, a theocratic-military alliance of several alien races determined to eradicate humanity. Pablo Schreiber and Jen Taylor star as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 and Cortana respectively; the latter reprises her voice role from the video game series. Development for a Halo television series began in mid-2013. Killen and Kane serve as showrunners for the series' first season, which consists of nine episodes. Filming began in Ontario, Canada, in October 2019, although post-production for the first five episodes was affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming eventually resumed in Budapest, Hungary, in February 2021. In February 2022, ahead of its premiere, the series was renewed for a second season, set to be headed and executive produced by David Wiener. Filming for the second season began in September 2022, and wrapped in May 2023. The first season of Halo premiered on March 24, 2022, and ran until May 19. It was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, with praise given for its action scenes, cast, and visual effects but criticism for its derivative writing and alterations from the source material. A second season premiered on February 8, 2024, and ran for eight episodes until March 21. It was met with positive reviews from critics, who declared it to be an improvement over the previous season. In July 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.
Premise Halo is set in the 26th century and follows the conflict between humanity and a formidable alien alliance known as the Covenant. The story centers on Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a super-soldier of the Spartan-II program, and several other major characters from the video games series. Executive producer Kiki Wolfkill revealed that the series is a standalone story that takes place within its own "Silver Timeline" that is separate from and inspired by the core canon and lore of the transmedia franchise rather than a continuation, adaptation, prequel, or sequel, explaining that they wished to give the two Halo canons a chance to evolve individually to suit their media.
Cast and characters
Main Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, a towering, genetically-engineered Spartan supersoldier and the leader of Silver Team. Logan Shearer portrays a teenage John. Casper Knopf portrays a child John. Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky, the commander-in-chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). Natasha Culzac as Riz-028, a Spartan member of Silver Team. Olive Gray as Commander Miranda Keyes, a UNSC (United Nations Space Command) officer and scientist and the daughter of Jacob Keyes and Catherine Halsey. Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha, an Insurrectionist teenager from the Outer Colony planet of Madrigal and Jin Ha's daughter Bentley Kalu as Vannak-134, a Spartan member of Silver Team. Kate Kennedy as Kai-125, a Spartan member of Silver Team. Charlie Murphy as Makee, a misanthropic human member of the Covenant who was raised by the Hierarchs as a "Blessed One". Zazie Hayhurst portrays a young Makee. Danny Sapani as Captain Jacob Keyes, a seasoned UNSC officer and the father of Miranda Keyes. Jen Taylor and Christina Bennington (season 2) as Cortana, an artificial intelligence (AI) construct modeled on the brain of Dr. Halsey and implanted in the brain of Master Chief as a means of influencing his decisions. Taylor reprises her voice role from the Halo video game series and also provides motion capture for the character in the first season, while Bennington physically portrays the character in the second season. Bokeem Woodbine as Soren-066, a Spartan deserter who later became a pirate on the Rubble. Jude Cudjoe portrays a teenage Soren. Natascha McElhone as Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, a scientist for the UNSC, the creator of the SPARTAN-II program, and the mother of Miranda Keyes. Her misanthropist views have her secretly striving to "improve" humanity by removing emotion – the source of venal, selfish actions. McElhone also portrays two flash clones of Halsey. Joseph Morgan as Colonel James Ackerson (season 2), a formidable intelligence operative who has spent his career climbing the ranks of the UNSC's secretive Office of Naval Intelligence. Fiona O'Shaughnessy as Laera (season 2; guest season 1), Soren's wife. Cristina Rodlo as Talia Perez (season 2), a corporal specializing in linguistics for a UNSC Marine Corps communications unit before later joining the SPARTAN-III program. Viktor Åkerblom as Arbiter Var 'Gatanai (season 2), a high-ranking Elite who leads the Covenant's invasion of Reach. Åkerblom both voices and provides motion capture for the character. Tylan Bailey as Kessler (season 2; guest season 1), Soren's son. Harry Lloyd voices "The Monitor" (season 2), a Forerunner AI construct and the caretaker of Halo.
Recurring Burn Gorman as Vinsher Grath (season 1), a politician and UNSC collaborator who suppresses the Insurrectionist movement on Madrigal. Ryan McParland as Dr. Adun Saly (season 1), Dr. Halsey's assistant. The Hierarchs (season 1), the leaders of the Covenant High Council: Julian Bleach voices the Prophet of Mercy. Karl Johnson voices the Prophet of Truth. Hilton McRae voices the Prophet of Regret. Sarah Ridgeway as John's mother (season 1) Duncan Pow as John's father (season 1)
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