Once again, people are absolutely buzzing about the latest addition to the Halo universe, with Paramount Pictures having recently dropped the new trailer for their upcoming TV series. The Halo video games have been a smash hit ever since Halo: Combat Evolved landed in 2001. And as the story developed, with the subsequent arrival of Halo 2 in 2004, talk of an adaptation has been ongoing. And now, finally, Paramount Pictures have answered our prayers!
With the new Halo series now waiting in the wings, the recent trailer revealed to excited fans worldwide that this new, cinematic Halo universe is set to premiere next month on March 24th, 2022. After over two decades of waiting, fans are buzzing with anticipation, asking themselves the inevitable question: what can we expect?
The first thing to note about the new Halo series is that it takes place in an entirely different universe to the games and will not necessarily follow the same lore. Whether this means it will be loosely based on the original storyline, or whether it will go off in a different direction entirely is yet to be determined. Either way, fans are highly intrigued to see the new directions this fresh Halo verse will be taken in. Given some of the controversial decisions made within the video game universe during recent years, a fresh start is probably what the series needs.
The creation of a new Halo universe has offered up a plethora of possible changes, some of which have already been noted from the recently released trailer. The most notable change was the re-designed appearance of Cortana. Rather than the blue-tinged, holographic AI image we’re used to seeing, Cortana has been remodelled after the appearance of her original voice actor, Jen Taylor, who has played Cortana since Halo’s first-ever release back in 2001. While the visual changes came as a surprise to some, with Taylor now continuing her role as Cortana for the upcoming series as well as the game, I think this change makes for a suitable and well-deserved homage.
Although the same cannot be said for the voice of Master Chief, who will be voiced by Pablo Schreiber in the series. This is a jarring change from the voicework we’re used to hearing in association with the Chief by American actor, Steve Downes, whose Clint Eastwood-inspired performance has become an iconic aspect of Master Chief’s persona. While many fans were disappointed by the absence of Downes, Schreiber has promised that he and Paramount have worked hard to produce something that all the fans can get behind. While change can be a tough pill to swallow, it will be very exciting to see where Schreiber goes with the role – and from what we heard of him in the trailer, I’d say he’s doing a decent job of nailing down the Chief!
Alongside vocal performances, there were a great many visuals that popped up in the trailer that have successfully given fans one hell of a nostalgia hit! This includes but is not limited to: epic designs for both Spartan and Covenant vehicles such as Warthogs, Phantoms and more, equally epic designs for both Spartan and Covenant characters and weaponry, such as Elite armour, the CEAR gun, and the classic Covenant energy swords! We also catch a glimpse of three new Spartans who will be accompanying the Master Chief throughout the series, alongside classic members of the original Halo cast.
All in all, the main hope for the Halo series is to have a fresh take on the much-loved content that many of us grew up with; something new and exciting yet nevertheless recognisable. And given what we know about the project so far, I think it’s reasonable to say that things are looking promising so far. And whatever your thoughts, I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a single Halo fan who wasn’t hyped to see Chief in all that 4K, cinematic glory!
Halo will be available to stream on Paramount+ from March 24th, 2022.
Are you looking forward to the new Halo series? If so, what are you hoping to get from it? Is there anything you’re hoping you don’t see? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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