The Steven Spielberg-produced live-action series set in the world of Halo is landing at Showtime. The cable network is close to making a deal with Xbox Entertainment Studios.
Xbox has been developing the series with Spielberg and his Amblin TV production company for over a year. Variety reports that "the company is close to a deal with a pair of showrunners to steer the series adaptation of the expansive bible developed by screenwriter Stuart Beattie, but the deal is not envisioned as a straight-to-series pickup."
Halo is only one of several properties that Xbox hopes to develop for their entertainment service platform. The report explains:
"The deal with Showtime has taken a long time to work out because the sides are charting new territory for a show designed to air on Showtime as well as Xbox, with enhanced interactivity built in for the latter platform. Details are still being hammered out, but sources say the plan is to have episodes bow on Showtime first, followed by the Xbox window."
Here's the official description of the series:
"The Halo television series is a groundbreaking original series based on the award-winning “Halo” franchise. Award-winning filmmaker, director and producer Steven Spielberg will executive produce the live-action TV series, created in partnership with 343 Industries and Amblin Television."
Ridley Scott is also producing a separate Halo project that has been described as a "digital feature." So there's a lot of Halo goodness coming our way!