Eurogamer

A live action Halo web series will launch this autumn ahead of the release of Halo 4 on Xbox 360.

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn will play exclusively on Machinima and Microsoft's Halo Waypoint in the run up to the 6th November launch of the 343 Industries-developed sci-fi shooter.

It's the largest investment Microsoft has made into live action to date, according to Variety. Larger, even, than the Neill Blomkamp shorts that almost spawned the Halo movie seven years ago.

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn plays out over five weekly instalments, each around 15 minutes long, and tells the story of how Master Chief inspired a young UNSC cadet who will eventually become a leader aboard the UNSC Infinity Spacecraft.

This new character introduction ties in with Halo 4, and provides a flashback to the beginning of the war between the humans and the Covenant. More details are expected at Comic-Con in July.

According to Halo franchise boss Frank O'Connor, the web series is a "way for people to get onboard this universe without feeling intimidated". It's "an origins story that teaches you about a lot of different facets of the ('Halo') universe".

Apparently it's also "the next step" for the Halo franchise, and could lead to a theatrical feature, despite the high-profile collapse of the proposed Blomkamp-directed movie in 2005.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-04-30-halo-4-live-action-web-series-forward-unto-dawn-launches-this-autumn

You KNOW this shit is gonna be of the highest quality. Good pre-release strategy too, amp up anyone on the fence. I can't wait.

Sweet!

I'm not generaly a fan of web series, but I know I'm going to have to watch these.

5 episodes @ 15 mins each comes to 75 mins by my reckoning. Nearly long enough to be a film.

Awesome! I hope it's good. It better be or else it could jeopardize any chances Halo has reaching the silver screen.

will have to check these out when they release. I think MS has big plans for Halo 4 this year and are going to market it great

This is friggin sweet! We're getting closer and closer to actual Halo movies/TV shows with every new Halo release.

Which reminds me....wasn't there a couple of fan made web series starring ODSTs and whatnot a while ago? Anyone got a link for that?

Lol it is almost as long as a movie... This just show microsoft is able to make a top movie of halo... Bring it on!

I am so ready. Microsoft Movie Studios. Make it happen!

Sound great, I enjoyed the live shorts before, don't know how the new director will fare, but hopefully will be on par with the grittiness that Blomkamp presented.