Interplanetary War Breaks Out In The Halo Season 2 Trailer
"Halo" is a blockbuster video game franchise if there ever was one, so it's surprising that the TV adaptation met such a muted response when it premiered on Paramount+ on March 24, 2022. Despite debuting to apparently historic numbers on Paramount+ (apparently because streaming platforms like Paramount+ don't release their actual numbers before making proclamations such as these), /Film's Jeremy Mathai found "Halo" season 1 to be a slow start, but not devoid of promise. The series was renewed for a season 2 right out of the gate, however, and the first look trailer was just screened for attendees at this year's CCPX 2023.
Set in the 26th century, "Halo" follows humanity in a war for survival with the Covenant, an alliance of alien conquerors who fanatically worship the extinct Forerunners. Humanity's greatest weapons are the Spartans, cyborg super-soldiers trained from childhood. One of their numbers is the series' protagonist: Master Chief John-117, played by Pablo Schreiber ("Den of Thieves"). The first shot of this trailer is a close-up of his unmasked face.
"Halo" season 2 retains the cast of season 1 but with new showrunners behind the scenes; will this shake-up result in a stronger sophomore season? We'll find out soon.
The Fall of Reach?
This 90-second trailer employs montage style editing; a USNC (United Nations Space Command) commander narrates about how long the odds are to inspire his Marines to fight. Intercut are shots of the Spartans preparing for combat and glimpses showing the raw power of the Covenant, from a fleet rising out of the clouds to them "glassing" (bombarding) a human planet's surface with that fleet.
About a minute in, the foreboding score drops out and the action picks up. A Covenant Elite is shown dueling a squad of marines with their energy sword; on the battlefield, Master Chief fights another Elite wielding the same weapon. Intercut are shots of supporting characters: Chief's AI assistant Cortana (Jen Taylor), rogue Spartan Soren-066 (Bokeem Woodbine), and newly-introduced intelligence operative James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan).
There's been speculation that "Halo" season 2 will be adapting "The Fall of Reach," a prequel novel to the original "Halo: Combat Evolved" game written by Eric Nylund. This book forms the backbone of Halo's worldbuilding. For reference, Reach was a thriving human colony world destroyed by the Covenant; the events of its destruction were later retold (from a different perspective) in the video game "Halo: Reach." The level of destruction in this teaser suggests the speculation is well-founded.
That brings us to the final and most exciting shot of the trailer; a wide shot showing the titular ring structure drifting in space. In "Combat Evolved," the USNC ship the Pillar of Autumn (carrying Chief and Cortana) came across the Halo (an artificial world built by the Forerunners) while fleeing the Covenant after the Fall of Reach.
Back in 2022, I remember jokes about a "Halo" series not having a Halo, but season 2 looks like it will be rectifying that.
"Halo" season 2 premieres on Paramount+ on February 8, 2024.