Paramount's Canceled Two-Season Video Game TV Series Has A New Streaming Home At Netflix

There was once a time when video game adaptations were anathema to TV and movie audiences, with projects like 1993's "Super Mario Bros." and 1994's "Street Fighter" flopping and cursing the entire genre. That's all changed in the last decade or so, with hits like "The Last of Us" wowing reviewers. One of the most ambitious video game television adaptations, Paramount's "Halo," has proven a big success with audiences despite being divisive among critics, and after a pair of seasons airing on Paramount+, the studio pulled the plug in 2024. In a surprise move, however, rival Netflix has stepped in to save Halo from extinction. 

The initiative shouldn't come as much of a shock: Back in March, the streamer began airing the series in some regions. It was later announced that the series would join Netflix's programming slate globally in October, leading to speculation that they were testing the waters for a potential acquisition — especially after it ranked among the 10 most-watched shows worldwide for one week.

Sure enough, in September, the move to Netflix for Season 3 was officially announced. With "Halo" now in its stable, Netflix has a beloved video game IP to call its own, while Paramount is no worse off, still the home of one of the best sci-fi franchises with "Star Trek." All in all, it's a win-win for the studio, the streamers, and fans all around the world.

Netflix loves to ride the coattails of other streamers, with an ever-growing list of canceled TV shows they've saved from the chopping block. What makes "Halo" unusual, however, is that the series boasted an astronomical budget and turned off many longtime fans expecting a narrative more in line with the game. So the question now is, what does Netflix do with "Halo" now that they are in control?

For starters, Netflix has the opportunity to take at least some creative control and steer its storytelling towards a direction that better satisfies fans. With deep pockets, too, they can invest further into making it look and feel like a cinematic experience, while their expanded audience has the potential to increase the show's viewership numbers and even pull subscribers from Paramount+. If things manage to shake out right, Netflix has a chance of earning not just more revenue, but a new long-term sci-fi franchise — something the service currently lacks, especially as "Stranger Things" comes to an end. 

Still, it's a big gamble for Netflix, taking the reins of a slick, big-budget action series that isn't universally beloved by viewers. Depending on how the dice rolls, we could look back at the move to Netflix as either a major victory or massive blunder in the streaming wars.