Showtime's Halo TV show recently resumed production after taking a hiatus due to COVID-19. Fans can expect a familiar voice to return as one of the Halo series' most iconic characters when the 9-episode first season premieres, as Jen Taylor is reprising her long-running role as Cortana for the show.
Taylor replaces Natascha McElhone as the Master Chief's AI companion, with her original actress dropping the voice role due to scheduling issues brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. McElhone will still continue her work on the show as Dr. Catherine Halsey.
The show is getting a direct link to the games through Taylor, who has been the voice of Cortana in all five entries since Halo: Combat Evolved in 2001. Microsoft also used Taylor as the basis of its Cortana virtual assistant. It's unclear whether Taylor's involvement in the show will include motion capture work as well, or if the character's appearance will remain based on McElhone.
Plot details for the Halo TV show haven't been revealed, but Showtime says the show will focus on the far-future conflict between the UNSC and the Covenant, much like the games themselves. A mix of familiar characters and new ones created for the show are set to appear, and 343 Industries is set to co-produce the series alongside Steven Spielberg's company Amblin Entertainment.
Hollywood has been making attempts to get a mainstream adaptation of Halo on screen for years, but Showtime's TV series is the first to make it into full production. American Gods and Orange Is The New Black star Pablo Schreiber is set to fill the boots of the Master Chief. Other cast members include Danny Sapani, Olive Gray, Bokeem Woodbine, and Shabana Azmi.
If the show finishes production in time for its 2021 projected release date, next year is set to be a big one for fans of 343's beloved FPS franchise. Halo Infinite has run into its own troubles reaching the level of quality fans are expecting, but the game's expressed goal of returning to the charm of the original Bungie trilogy is one reason to stay hopeful. That "back to basics" approach should go nicely with the TV show's focus on the classic humanity vs. Covenant struggle.
While Halo Infinite's delay into 2021 was a big blow to this week's Xbox Series X and S launch, fans still have the PC version of Halo 4 to look forward to in just under a week. The entire Master Chief Collection is also set to receive upgrades for the new Xbox consoles, though 343 currently doesn't have anything new planned for Halo 5.
Halo is set to premiere on Showtime in 2021.
Source: IGN