Pablo Schreiber set to star as John-117 aka the Master Chief

[Patrick Chewing]

As revealed last November, the series will revolve around Master Chief, the helmeted super-soldier at the center of the game series. Pablo Schreiber (American Gods, Orange Is the New Black) will star as the Spartan commando. No word on whether Schreiber's version of the character will remained masked like his video game counterpart.

Joining Schreiber is Australian newcomer Yerin Ha, who will play a newly created character in the Halo universe, Quan Ah. Quan Ah is described as a "shrewd, audacious 16-year-old from the Outer Colonies who meets Master Chief at a fateful time for them both." Ah was discovered during a worldwide casting search and is known for her stage work in Australia.

The Showtime series will follow plots set forth in the games, which focused on the 26th-century conflict between humanity and the alien race known as the Covenant. The show will "weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future."

The series will begin production in Budapest, Hungary in the fall.

Halo is one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, having sold over 77 million copies and grossed more than $60 billion worldwide since its initial release in 2001.

Kyle Killen (Awake) and Steven Kane (The Last Ship) serve as co-showrunners and executive producers for the drama. The series is executive produced by Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin Television in partnership with 343 Industries, the current developers of the Halo games. Otto Bathurst and Toby Leslie are also exec producing for One Big Picture, along with Scott Pennington for Chapter Eleven and Karen Richards. The series will be distributed globally by CBS Studios International.

In a nod to the scope that Showtime has in mind for Halo, Kane joined the series as co-showrunner in March as Killen wanted to bring in a second-in-command to help with the Budapest production. Halo, which Showtime described as its "most ambitious series ever," has already replaced directors after Rupert Wyatt departed (citing scheduling conflicts with an unknown other project). Wyatt was poised to helm multiple episodes and exec produce. He was replaced by Otto Bathurst (Black Mirror) and an episode was shaved off Halo's initial 10-episode order. The series was originally announced in 2014, with plans originally for the show to bow first on Showtime before moving to Xbox consoles. It's unclear if that is still in the cards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jXTBAGv9ZQ

[Smoke117]

Decent choice. I'm not some big halo fan boy, though, so I can't give an opinion from the halo community. I haven't played halo since three on 360 and have no interest in ever playing the main series again. (I do have some interest in checking out halo wars, though, as I built the first computer rig in a long time and I've been meaning to get back to into rts games.)

[Patrick Chewing]

Decent choice. I'm not some big halo fan boy, though, so I can't give an opinion from the halo community. I haven't played halo since three on 360 and have no interest in every playing the main series again. (I do have some interest in checking out halo wars)

I've read most of the books and have played all the games and I can tell ya that it doesn't matter who's behind the armor and helmet, so long as its entertaining. The Halo universe is huge. Just as huge as anything from Star Wars. I remember years ago there was rumors of Denzel Washington playing the Master Chief.

I can see them showing Schreiber's face as potential flashbacks, but the Master Chief has always been known to don the armor and helmet and rarely ever takes it off.

Would be curious to see what they do with his voice.

[Smoke117]

I've read most of the books and have played all the games and I can tell ya that it doesn't matter who's behind the armor and helmet, so long as its entertaining. The Halo universe is huge. Just as huge as anything from Star Wars. I remember years ago there was rumors of Denzel Washington playing the Master Chief.

I can see them showing Schreiber's face as potential flashbacks, but the Master Chief has always been known to don the armor and helmet and rarely ever takes it off.

Would be curious to see what they do with his voice.

I highly doubt Pablo Schreiber would have signed on if he is going to have no face time. He's on the way up right now and is trying to get exposure as much as possible. Playing just a voice behind a helmet is not going to interest him. I guarantee Master Chief won't just be helmeted the entire time like in the games.

[highwhey]

i'm impressed that OP, a 60 year old, knows what Halo is.

[Patrick Chewing]

i'm impressed that OP, a 60 year old, knows what Halo is.

The first game came out in 2001. I was in my early 40's then.

[highwhey]

The first game came out in 2001. I was in my early 40's then.

[Smoke117]

The first game came out in 2001. I was in my early 40's then.

You're fukking 60? Goddamn! Grandpa. Also, no wonder you still actually believe in that boogeyman. You are from a generation who was still being heavily brainwashed.

[Patrick Chewing]

You're fukking 60? Goddamn! Grandpa. Also, no wonder you still actually believe in that boogeyman. You are from a generation who was still being heavily brainwashed.

LOL nah man that's just the Mexican and I having a good laugh. Late 30's to be exact.

[highwhey]

LOL nah man that's just the Mexican and I having a good laugh. Late 30's to be exact.

[ItsMillerTime]

Decent choice. I'm not some big halo fan boy, though, so I can't give an opinion from the halo community. I haven't played halo since three on 360 and have no interest in ever playing the main series again. (I do have some interest in checking out halo wars, though, as I built the first computer rig in a long time and I've been meaning to get back to into rts games.)

Halo: Master Chief Collection is coming to PC soon. I may get back into it, but fvck using mouse and keyboard, I'll plug in an Xbox controller lol.

[warriorfan]

We need GIF REACTION