Microsoft announces live action ‘Halo’ TV series with Steven Spielberg as executive producer

Microsoft has just announced a new expansion of the Halo universe — a live-action TV series will be coming to Xbox Live, and Steven Spielberg will be involved in an as-yet undefined role. “Halo has always been more than a game,” said Bonnie Ross from 343 Industries when she announced the show. “The Halo universe is an amazing opportunity to be at that intersection where technology and myth-making meet to produce something truly groundbreaking,” Spielberg said on a pre-recorded video. There’s no word yet on when this show will debut, or where we’ll be able to watch it beyond Xbox Live.

Update: Microsoft has clarified that Steven Spielberg will be the executive producer of the new Halo TV series. There’s no other news on other creative contributors or when the show might air.

Update 2: After learning of the creative minds behind Microsoft’s Halo series, we’re now getting a better sense of how much of an investment the company is making in this project and future original programming. In an interview with Variety, Nancy Tellem (Microsoft’s president of entertainment and digital media) reveals that the operating budget will resemble that of HBO’s Game of Thrones and other ambitious, high-caliber shows. It sounds like we won’t hear about Microsoft’s next project in the immediate future, however. “For us, it’s about taking the necessary time to produce the right shows,” she said.