Just as the Halo TV series had started to find its footing and win over fans, the television adaptation of the beloved Xbox video game franchise has been canceled. The series debuted in 2022, while the second wrapped up in March 2024.
In a statement to Variety, the streamer confirmed the show's cancellation while thanking everyone involved in the production who helped bring the series to life on the small screen.
“Paramount+ can confirm that ‘Halo’ will not move forward with a third season on the service. We are extremely proud of this ambitious series and would like to thank our partners at Xbox, 343 Industries and Amblin Television, along with showrunner and executive producer David Wiener, his fellow executive producers, the entire cast led by Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and the amazing crew for all their outstanding work. We wish everyone the best going forward.”
Hope isn't entirely lost though. Variety notes that Xbox, Amblin TV, and 343 Industries will try to shop the series to other outlets, according to "an individual with knowledge of the situation."
343 Industries, the current developers of the Halo video game franchise, also offered a statement on the show's cancellation:
“We deeply appreciate the millions of fans who propelled the ‘Halo’ series to be a global success and we remain committed to broadening the ‘Halo’ universe in different ways in the future. We are grateful to Amblin and Paramount for their partnership in bringing our expansive sci-fi universe to viewers around the world.”
Based on the popular video game franchise from Xbox, the Halo series dramatizes the epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. The series starred Pablo Schreiber as the iconic character Master Cheif John-117, a genetically enhanced super soldier part of the elite Spartans group.
As a whole, the Halo series was generally well-received by critics, but criticized more sharply by general audiences. The first season of the show has a favorable 70% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics, but just a 52% Audience Score. The season was praised for its action and visual effects but received criticism for its alterations from the source material. One particular sore spot, especially among fans, was Master Chief, who had been described as acting out of character compared to his core canon counterpart. There was also a polarizing sex scene featuring Master Chief, which drew negative reaction from critics and audiences alike.
"Halo is too derivative of better science-fiction series to emerge a fully-formed elite, but glimmers of promise and faithfulness to the source material signal it's not out of the fight just yet," the critics consensus reads.
Season 2 actually improved quite a bit more, in terms of critics and audience reception. The second season boasts a 90% among critics and an improved 69% Audience Score. The critics consensus reads: "Reloading on surer footing, Halo's streamlined second season is a leaner and meaner dose of sci-fi that comes closer to realizing the property's potential."
Unfortunately, it seems it was too little too late for the series. Thankfully, it sounds like there's at least a chance the show could be picked up by someone else.