In the new Halo series, Master Chief will eventually get over his camera phobia as part of his streaming adventure.
A daunting task, but Pablo Schreiber has to make some bold decisions in order to make Halo’s flawless transfer from video game to television possible. One of those is the announcement that officer John-117 will be showing off his face. Bungie and 343 Industries’ Halo games have never shown the Spartan’s face, instead teasing the back of Master Chief’s head or even the eyes, with the latter being a hidden unlockable feature in Halo 4. As a result of this, according to one of the show’s producers, Halo will be a better show in the long run.
THE HALO MOVIE THAT DID NOT EXIST
Producer Kiki Wolfkill explained that displaying the Chief’s face is actually an important element of the plot because when trying to “convey a character storey and a personal storey, it became evident that you really needed to see the person in [the armour] and behind the helmet.” Self-professed gamer producer admits that she’s aware that this is a moment that’s taken the franchise two decades to come to fruition but maintains that it’s a crucial step in order for viewers to connect with the character on a deeper level with.
Close-up shots of the Master Chief’s helmet outfit on TV
As a 6’5″ actor, Pablo Schreiber comes shockingly close to the Master Chief’s NBA-worthy height and has previously been shown in his full suit of armour in the Paramount series. Wolfkill acknowledged that some fans may find it difficult to visualise the Master Chief’s visage in this version, but that others may be more receptive to the idea if it fits within the confines of the franchise. Fans of the Halo franchise may be irked by the significantly redesigned design of Cortana, but at least she’ll be voiced by Jen Taylor, who’s repeating her renowned role. With Halo’s first season set to launch next month, Paramount is clearly confident in the show’s future. Since Halo Infinite’s release, players have been reporting decreasing numbers of hours spent playing the game. Microsoft may be hoping the series may help turn that around. In addition to Halo Infinite’s forthcoming Forge Mode, a successful TV programme can do wonders for games, as evidenced by the popularity of The Witcher.