The Halo TV series “may shift dates, locations, or ethnicity of characters”

[Cranster]

Speaking on a panel today at Reboot Develop, 343 executive producer Kiki Wolfkill briefly touched on how the company is approaching the adaption. Respecting canon is one of 343's priorities, according to Wolfkill, but not at the expense of doing what makes sense. The producer went on to say that 343 understand it will never please everyone. There will always be some people who are upset, but it will do what's right for the nine episode series. "We may shift dates, locations, or ethnicity of characters," Wolfkill said.

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https://www.vg247.com/2019/04/11/halo-tv-series-may-shift-dates-locations-ethnicity-characters/

This actually has me concerned, it's one thing to tell an original story but I think were past the point of retconning already established lore, especially after the mess Reach introduced in 2010.

 

[bsigg]

I think after the debacle that was the first attempt at a Halo movie, they're realizing Hollywood can be a pain in the ass to try and adapt existing lore word for word.

As long as it's good, I don't really mind some changes.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

Absolutely fine. You'll never find someone that looks identikit to every single character. Similar reason why I cringe when people throw out Nathan Fillion for Uncharted. Cast the actor, regardless of skin colour and the performance is served by them. As long as they have a good representative balance of humanity, and not everyone is a white spartanhero I'm good with this.

 

[DorkLord54]

REEEE THIS IS WHITE GENOCIDE! WHAT IS FORCED DIVERSITY CANON-BREAKING SJW-NESS DOING IN MY HALO?!

Spoiler

/s, obviously, esp since 1) Reach already showed that neither Bungie nor 343i really care that much for canon outside of the games (which is how it should be, honestly), and b) it's an adaptation, so it should try to adapt the story in a way that feels best for the medium.

EDIT: Legitimately had no idea it was making fun of autistic people, sorry about that. Keeping it unedited for posterity and transparency's sake.

 

[Deleted member 5853]

Shifting ethnicities?

GAMERS R I S E U P!!!!1!!!

HOLLYWOOD SJWS RUINING MUH HISTORICAL ACCURACY.

 

[Black Mantis]

Could care less, even as a huge fan of the Halo-verse, I just want the show to be good most of all.

 

[Komo]

I mean if it means anything Stinkles ya'll have done a good job casting in the live action stuff so far. So I can say you're gonna be doing good.

 

[Deleted member 15428]

Could care less, even as a huge fan of the Halo-verse, I just want the show to be good most of all.

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So you do care?

 

[Deleted member 32374]

Shifting ethnicities?

GAMERS R I S E U P!!!!1!!!

HOLLYWOOD SJWS RUINING MUH HISTORICAL ACCURACY.

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We joke but non /s and unironic fuckery is coming.

 

[Theorry]

The producer went on to say that 343 understand it will never please everyone

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Halo fans in a nutshell. Glad they realize it.

 

[Falcon511]

Thats fine. They are trying to get TV viewers in on this and they probably need to reach an audience that is slightly different from gamers.

 

[Black Mantis]

So you do care?

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In terms of what they may change, no. That's what my post is referring to. I only care if the show is good. You follow now?

 

[ItsBobbyDarin]

Why CHANGE ethnicity? If the character is not described in the Halo books in detail, then go for it, but don't change the characters until they only become recognizable by name. And changing dates and locations? So they are messing with the lore pretty much and taking creative freedom. I don't know how to feel about it. Maybe they should have not cluster fuckeded the universe by making so many books, comics, audio logs, etc, that they are no possible room for other content.

 

[RationalGinger]

I care more about locations and dates over ethnicities. No one is really described well in the books so who cares?

Although I still think this is decades too late.

Halo ended with 3. 4 is a decent epilogue but I have no interest in future entries, which is the same opinion I have on Gears of War.

 

[HamCormier]

Why CHANGE ethnicity? If the character is not described in the Halo books in detail, then go for it, but don't change the characters until they only become recognizable by name. And changing dates and locations? So they are messing with the lore pretty much and taking creative freedom. I don't know how to feel about it. Maybe they should have not cluster fuckeded the universe by making so many books, comics, audio logs, etc, that they are no possible room for other content.

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They'll change ethnicity for more representation on screen, and it's fine. In the world of Halo, it doesn't matter. It's Humans VS Covenants.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Why CHANGE ethnicity? If the character is not described in the Halo books in detail, then go for it, but don't change the characters until they only become recognizable by name. And changing dates and locations? So they are messing with the lore pretty much and taking creative freedom. I don't know how to feel about it. Maybe they should have not cluster fuckeded the universe by making so many books, comics, audio logs, etc, that they are no possible room for other content.

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Game of Thrones did it. Worked fine.

Do what you need to do to make a good show.

 

[ItsBobbyDarin]

They'll change ethnicity for more representation on screen, and it's fine. In the world of Halo, it doesn't matter. It's Humans VS Covenants.

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Can't they do that with new characters? I don't understand the rationale.

Game of Thrones did it. Worked fine.

Do what you need to do to make a good show.

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I never saw Game Of Thrones, so I don't know how they did it and I haven't experienced it. Maybe it will work, but this series is tailored to an audience who has already played Halo, not to newcomers... I hope.

 

[Stinkles]

Can't they do that with new characters? I don't understand the rationale.

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There's no rationale at this time because none of that has happened yet. It might. It might not. But the rationale would be finding a great actor who fits the role.

Everyone is Scottish in the 26th century.

"What? Don't you mean like ...just Hamish Beamish and Spartan Grant?"

Spoiler

.

I won't be commenting on any of this for a while - but we're not going to do stunt casting or shifting ethnicity of characters just for lulz or clicks or controversy. Kiki is right on the money in that we'll be casting based on who works best for the role, period. We will also be casting people who look and sound a lot like their existing characters are described or shown.

And that's it from me. No comment, no elaboration till later at which point I will be crystal clear. But until that time I will only respond with LOUD BUZZING SOUNDS.

 

[space_nut]

Does this mean Sgt Johnson will be Hawaiian?

 

[Agnostic Priest]

Do whatever changes are needed to make the show awesome. A lot of good shows don't follow the source material 100%

 

[HamCormier]

Can't they do that with new characters? I don't understand the rationale.

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They are new characters, though. It's a creative adaption of Halo on screen. It's a new universe, it won't be connected to the games or books.

 

[Complicated]

Good. No reason to go into such a monumental task with a hand tied behind your back.

 

[ItsBobbyDarin]

There's no rationale at this time because none of that has happened yet. It might. It might not. But the rationale would be finding a great actor who fits the role.

Everyone is Scottish in the 26th century.

"What? Don't you mean like ...just Hamish Beamish and Spartan Grant?"

Spoiler

.

I won't be commenting on any of this for a while - but we're not going to do stunt casting or shifting ethnicity of characters just for lulz or clicks or controversy. Kiki is right on the money in that we'll be casting based on who works best for the role, period. We will also be casting people who look and sound a lot like their existing characters are described or shown.

And that's it from me. No comment, no elaboration till later at which point I will be crystal clear. But until that time I will only respond with LOUD BUZZING SOUNDS.

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Ah, ok, that's fine and I am all for it. It would just be weird if Sgt. Johnson suddenly became Pakistani or French, and the stuff on Harvest suddenly shifting dates for example.

I can just see another Halo canon controversy as with Halo: Reach and Fall of Reach.

 

[I KILL PXLS]

https://www.vg247.com/2019/04/11/halo-tv-series-may-shift-dates-locations-ethnicity-characters/

This actually has me concerned, it's one thing to tell an original story but I think were past the point of retconning already established lore, especially after the mess Reach introduced in 2010.

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Eh. You could just ignore the show's version of continuity right? Or did they confirm this would overwrite the overall canon if there are changes?

 

[Cranster]

There's no rationale at this time because none of that has happened yet. It might. It might not. But the rationale would be finding a great actor who fits the role.

Everyone is Scottish in the 26th century.

"What? Don't you mean like ...just Hamish Beamish and Spartan Grant?"

Spoiler

.

I won't be commenting on any of this for a while - but we're not going to do stunt casting or shifting ethnicity of characters just for lulz or clicks or controversy. Kiki is right on the money in that we'll be casting based on who works best for the role, period. We will also be casting people who look and sound a lot like their existing characters are described or shown.

And that's it from me. No comment, no elaboration till later at which point I will be crystal clear. But until that time I will only respond with LOUD BUZZING SOUNDS.

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Thanks for the response, this does put alot of my worries at ease.

 

[Deleted member 12129]

Shifting ethnicities?

GAMERS R I S E U P!!!!1!!!

HOLLYWOOD SJWS RUINING MUH HISTORICAL ACCURACY.

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You laugh now, then they'll make Sgt. Johnson white and thats when the real shitstorm starts lol

 

[m23]

I just want a great show, if they need to make some small changes, I'd be fine with that. Don't show Chief's face tho!

 

[More Butter]

Will Cortana be Purple or Blue?

 

[Kalentan]

So is the show considered non-canon then?

Assuming it does any of these.

 

[ItsBobbyDarin]

Will Cortana be Purple or Blue?

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This is actually the real dilemma.

 

[ThatMeanScene]

I hope shifting locations doesn't mean placing everything on Earth to save money.

 

[More Butter]

Just make sure the show is great and that it releases! The specifics are unimportant.

 

[Prine]

Honestly, if it means a better tighter story whilst not being accurate but staying true the idea of Halo, then that's fine. TBH I think Halo story is convoluted and I'd rather they approach it from a TV perspective and not the game.

 

[GUNDAM STARDUST]

I'm just excited it's happening. I don't care if you use Olivia Munn or Zoe Saldana as Cortana.

 

[Trup1aya]

I'll survive if there are minor inconsistencies.

 

[Bradford]

Don't most of the on-earth segments in Halo take place in Africa? So if they're changing locations and ethnicities doesn't that just mean we're gonna see more white people and locations familiar to Americans?

That was how I read it but if I'm wrong and this means more diversity that's cool.

 

[Twenty5Thousand]

I can take minor retcons and stuff, and the ethnicity thing doesn't bother me as long as the person casted is the person who will give the role the best performance.

That said, hopefully this doesn't create another Fall of Reach / Halo Reach situation where two (or potentially more) pieces of essential Halo lore have massive inconsistencies.

 

[Stinkles]

Will Cortana be Purple or Blue?

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I'm 100% RG color blind so hopefully I don't get to decide.

I hope shifting locations doesn't mean placing everything on Earth to save money.

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Halo stories have taken place in some of most exotic locations in the galaxy.

 

[Theorry]

Stinkles used the word exotic. Halo Infinite looter shooter confirmed!

 

[Kalentan]

Don't most of the on-earth segments in Halo take place in Africa? So if they're changing locations and ethnicities doesn't that just mean we're gonna see more white people and locations familiar to Americans?

That was how I read it but if I'm wrong and this means more diversity that's cool.

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The show as far as we know isn't an adaption of the games story.

So it could take place anywhere on Earth. Though most likely it will take place in Sydney since it's the capitol of the UEG and where most of it's headquarters are.

Though that's also assuming we see much of Earth outside occasional asides.

 

[Jessie]

Video game characters are not real people. It's to be expected that characters will look different.

 

[Deleted member 47654]

So... My dream about Rebecca Ferguson or Olivia Wilde as Cortana has died?

I hope not
I've read MasterChief's description so many times that this doesnt sound promising, you know... the description about a white boy with a lot of freckles, with a space between teeth. I've pictured him like that my whole life since i read The Fall Of Reach.
In my opinion, Cortana and MasterChief's ethnicity should remain intact. Change wathever you want after that.
I'm a Mexican and i'm not white (i would be a minority in the USA) but i dont need MasterChief or Cortana to "represent" me, just respect the characters that i love, thats all i want.

 

[Fisty]

They are finally gonna make Halo black arent they

 

[Deleted member 47654]

The show as far as we know isn't an adaption of the games story

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It is, MasterChief will be a lead character.

 

[Transistor]

I could see Emily Blunt doing a pretty good Cortana.

 

[Kalentan]

I its, MasterChief will be a lead character.

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Uh... Chief has been the main character of plenty of Halo material that isn't the games.

 

[FlintSpace]

That is all and good, we can ponder on details later but.. is it ever going to even come out ?

 

[WaffleTaco]

Yeah, adapt the content don't copy it. If more video game adaptations would understand this they might actually be successful.

 

[Kalentan]

Halo stories have taken place in some of most exotic locations in the galaxy.

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Linking Halo Alpha and not Halopedia. SMH.

Stinkles, you let me down.

 

[Deleted member 47654]

Uh... Chief has been the main character of plenty of Halo material that isn't the games.

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If thats the case why do they care to anounce this?