Early on in the year we reported that cable network/production company Showtime had given reassurances that Microsoft's long-promised, long-speculated, live-action Halo television series was still very much on despite [then] nearly five years between said update and its initial announcement all the way back during Xbox One's official unveiling. Well today, Showtime have once again provided a new update and confirmed the project has now been fully green-lit and begun full production.

Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that ten episodes have been commissioned for the series with the aim to "weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure and a richly imagined vision of the future." Kyle Killen, who created the fantasy police procedural Awake, is confirmed as writer and executive producer while Rupert Wyatt -- whom directed Rise of the Planet of the Apes -- will direct multiple unconfirmed episodes. No word on Steven Spielberg's involvement, if he is indeed still involved in the project; he was, after all, present at the Xbox One unveiling (making an obligatory Pong reference while he was at it).