After a rocky development process that included names like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson at various points, the Halo program was finally sold to Paramount+ and filming began in 2019. It premiered in March 2022 and broke the record for the most-viewed series debut on the platform. The series, however, was quickly received with heated internet discussion. Audience reaction has been mixed, with some expressing dissatisfaction with what they perceive to be bad writing and a shift from the original Halo source.
The franchise’s co-creator, Marcus Lehto, responded to complaints about the Paramount TV series adaptation of the video games. Lehto was a significant creative force behind the extremely popular Halo games from 1997 to 2012, helping with every installment until Halo: Reach, after which he departed the firm. In reality, Lehto was in charge of the famous armor design that became a hallmark for the series, and his initials (M.R.L) are stamped on the bottom of Master Chief’s boot.
“Not the Halo I made” – Marcus Lehto
Letho has joined the conversation as well, he tweeted to express his discontent with the show’s course. “I’m not sure where the inspiration for the show comes from,” Lehto says in response to a thread about the show. Show “takes the brand [and] strays it away from the heart of the [series],” as one user put it, while Lehto felt that the show is dishonest to the original games.
Yeah, I’m not sure where the inspiration for the show comes from now. Not the Halo I made.
— Marcus Lehto ???????? (@game_fabricator) May 16, 2022
Lehto has positioned himself on the dissatisfied side of this debate with his post, adding fuel to an already raging debate. It remains to be seen whether audience and past developer’s concerns will influence adjustments in the already planned Halo season 2, but it may be advantageous to the show’s future success. The Halo games franchise has sold 81 million copies in its 20-year career, and Paramount may opt to appeal to this large potential audience with greater game realism in season 2. However, no information on the upcoming Halo series has been released yet.
