Former Fear the Walking Dead executive producer David Wiener is reportedly in line to helm the Halo TV show's second season.
According to numerous outlets, including Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, Wiener is Paramount Plus's number-one choice to take over from season 1 showrunner Steven Kane.
Speaking during the Paramount Plus Television Critics Association (TCA) panel on Tuesday (February 1), Amblin Television co-president Justin Falvey suggested that Wiener could be the person to replace Kane. However, according to Falvey, that would only occur if the show is renewed for another season, adding: “Our intention is to produce several seasons of the show.”
If Wiener replaces Kane in the hot seat, he'll be the third incumbent to helm the iconic video game series' TV adaptation. Kane was initially brought on board to assist original showrunner Kyle Killen, but assumed total control after Killen's departure in 2018. Now, Kane is also leaving after a solitary season.
Revealing why he was walking away, Kane said: “As much as I enjoyed working on it, it’s a long time to be away from my family [filming in Hungary], and my kids were in the final years of high school, and I didn’t want to leave again. While making Halo will go down for me as a career highlight, I could only do it for one season.”
Halo is set to launch on Paramount Plus on March 24 in the US, but no international release date or platforms have been revealed yet. For more Halo TV show news, read up on why fans are unimpressed with Cortana's new design, as well as how the show fits into the franchise's core canon.
Analysis: wounded, but continuing the fight
Kane and Killen's departures are the latest blows to a TV show that's already endured a tumultuous, multi-year development cycle.
Halo's TV series has been in the works for eight years – District 9's Neil Blonkamp had originally wanted to make a movie based on the gaming franchise before that project fell apart – and has suffered numerous setbacks during that time.
The sci-fi show has lost its two original showrunners, replaced its first director in Rupert Wyatt due to scheduling conflicts, and has even switched platforms from Showtime to Paramount Plus.
Natascha McElhone, who had signed up to portray Dr. Catherine Halsey and Cortana in the live-action series, was also forced to pull out of playing Cortana due to the ongoing pandemic. Master Chief's AI companion will be played by original game-series voice actor Jen Taylor instead.
So the Halo TV show has undergone plenty of changes, and faced many challenges, since 2014. And, like other protracted TV adaptations, including Hulu's recently cancelled Y: The Last Man, there's no guarantee that it'll be a success, despite an approach that Falvey labeled as "being patient."
Still, Halo's TV series, much like its protagonist, isn't ready to give up just yet. It may have been wounded by numerous boardroom and on-set battles, but it seemingly won't go down without a fight.
- Did you miss the official trailer for Halo's TV show? Check it out now
