Paramount+ has officially cancelled its divisive live-action Halo television series, with the recently broadcast second season set to be its last on the service.
Season 1 of Paramount+’s Halo series aired back in 2022, nearly a decade after the project was first announced. It launched to a mixed reception, however, drawing criticism for its writing, inconsistent tone, uneven plotting, and pacing. Halo fans also didn’t love the decision to show Master Chief’s face just episodes in, or the decision to show his bum after that. And by the time he was having sex in front of Cortana, even Halo’s co-creator admitted he was “confused”.
Despite these concerns, initial audience numbers were good, and Paramount+ made the decision to forge ahead with a second season, albeit this time under the watch of a new show runner. And improvements were promised: Master Chief actor Pablo Schreiber (who also wasn’t a fan of some of the first season’s more controversial choices) said there was “no question” Season 2 was “far stronger” ahead of its airing this February.
Unfortunately, it seems those promises weren’t enough to get viewers back on board. Paramount+ has now confirmed to Variety that its Halo TV show is officially cancelled, saying it “will not move forward with a third season on the service”.
However, it seems there’s still a chance the show might live on elsewhere if creators Xbox, Amblin TV, and 343 Industries get their wish. Citing an “individual with knowledge of the situation”, Variety says all three will now attempt to shop the series around to other outlets, so perhaps don’t write the Halo TV show off quite yet.