For years, director Steven Spielberg has been rumored as the one to finally bring Master Chief and the "Halo" universe to the big screen. While there's still no word on a "Halo" movie, how does the small screen sound?
During Microsoft's event announcing the Xbox One, the Redmond, Wash.-based software maker also revealed that Spielberg would be involved in the production of a live-action television series based on the world of "Halo," the Xbox's long-running first-person shooter franchise.
Bonnie Ross, studio head at "Halo" developer 343 Industries, spoke on stage about how the Xbox One's unique multimedia interactivity meshes well with Spielberg's style of storytelling. It was then that Spielberg -- who was also in the introductory video for the event -- echoed Ross' sentiment on the video board.
"For me, the Halo universe is an amazing opportunity to be at that intersection where technology and myth-making meet to create something really groundbreaking," Spielberg said, speaking to the crowd from the screen. Spielberg, who will serve as an executive producer on the project, has an extensive list of producing credits for television that include "The Pacific" and "Animaniacs."
"Until now the TV viewing experience has been a one-way street for the viewer," said Nancy Tellem, Microsoft's entertainment and digital media president. "Now, that's about to change. TV on the Xbox will immerse you, enable you to virtually jump into the action." Microsoft's hiring of Tellem, a former CBS executive, last fall was seen as move toward creating original content.
Spielberg will have his hands full adapting "Halo," a massively successful franchise that has sold over 50 million copies worldwide with a fanbase eager to see the story come alive on the screen. “The possibilities for storylines in the Halo universe are as deep and wide as any other space-faring franchise out there," "Halo" gamer Paul Sposato told Forbes. "While we already have an encyclopedic storehouse of info on Halo, it’s still a big universe in there."
There's still no word on when the show will premiere or how people will be able to watch it apart from through Microsoft's Xbox Live.
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