Spielberg and Hanks to Produce HALO: ODST Miniseries for HBO
Hey Gang! I’ve got some pretty awesome news to share with you, this is something us Halo fans have been waiting to see happen for years, and now it looks like it’s finally moving forward!
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks are once again teaming up, but this time it will be to adapt the hit video game franchise Halo for the small screen. They are going to develop a 10-part miniseries for HBO based on the Halo: ODST video game. Sure it may not be the Halo feature film with Master Chief that we’ve all been waiting for, but it’s a freakin' 10-part Halo miniseries on HBO! I always thought the franchise would make an awesome TV series.
Once Spielberg got involved with the possible Halo film project last year, I assumed it was only a matter of time before he got the project up and running. As we reported last year Spielberg started active negotiations to develop a feature film developed from a script written by Stuart Beatle that was inspired by the first Halo novel, Fall of Reach.
Since that time there have been discussions between Spielberg and Microsoft on where to take the Halo franchise, and according to the trades those discussions turned into developing the Halo franchise into a miniseries. They went with the ODST aspect of the game franchise because they will be able to focus on several different characters with different points of views from the Halo universe, instead of focusing on one character like Masterchief. They will be able to show a bit more of the universe this way.
Spielberg brought the project to Hanks while developing The Pacific, and they will use the same team that developed both Band of Brothers and The Pacific to bring Halo: ODST to life. Spielberg had this to say in a statement.
Thank goodness for HBO. They gave us this opportunity to tell this great story for the fans of the franchise. We’re very beholden to HBO for making room on their schedule for something like this, and were excited to bring this franchise to life. Microsoft has been very accomodating and very active in helping us bring this story to life the way that it should be.
Spielberg has a strong relationship with Microsoft which is one of the main reasons that we are actually going to see this happen. They obviously trust Spielberg with the franchise. He actually introduced Microsoft’s Project Natal last year at E3. Here is what Bungie president Harold Ryan said regarding the Halo miniseries,
We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Mr. Spielberg and Mr. Hanks on such an ambitious project. We’ve had some great discussions with them and we are all on the same page on where we want to see this production go. The fans will be pleased.
Well, I don’t see why we wouldn’t! This is a great and talented team of people that are going to develop it. I’m excited as hell to see what they come up with for the series! I think they are using this HBO Miniseries as a way to test the waters and build up to making the film.
The story will follow ODST’s (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) as they drop into the ruined city of New Mombasa, as well as other planets within the Universe looking for clues behind the Covenant's catastrophic attack on certain cities. There will obviously be more characters in the series than there were in the game.
As you know the ODST are known for their courage, valor and at times, insanity, Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are among the fiercest UNSC soldiers, priding themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations. While not as large or supernaturally gifted as their Spartan comrades, these Hell Jumpers more than compensate with their ferocious attitudes and unwavering nerve.
What do you all think about Halo: ODST being developed into a HBO miniseries?
Oh! One more thing...