Halo season 2 is very nearly upon us. It's one of our most anticipated new TV shows of 2024, and it's safe to say we're pretty excited for what's to come. The new episodes are going to set Master Chief on one of his most dangerous missions yet, pitting the legendary Spartan against invading Covenant forces on the planet of Reach – one of humanity's last strongholds, and all that stands between Earth and certain extinction. Which is all to say, the stakes couldn't be any higher in season 2 of the Halo TV show.
No matter your feelings on Halo season 1, some big changes are expected in this second go at adapting the iconic world and characters from developers Bungie and 343 Industries' Halo games. For starters, showrunner Steven Kane departed the series when post-production of season 1 wrapped, and has since been replaced by David Wiener – best known for his work on Brave New World and Fear the Walking Dead. From everything we have heard so far, ever since filming of season 2 started in September 2022, it sounds as if Halo season 2 is positioning itself as a grittier, tougher concept.
You get a sense of that in these two exclusive Halo season 2 posters which GamesRadar+ was able to get a hold of, each showing Master Chief and his Spartan-II unit from Silver Team encircled by a mass of Covenant Elites wielding Energy swords on what appears to be the planet of Reach. To learn when you can watch Halo season 2, to learn more about how to access it on Paramount Plus, and for all the details on the cast and story, keep reading to find everything we know so far about season 2 of the Halo TV show.
Halo season 2 release date
The Halo season 2 premiere date has been set for Thursday, February 8, 2024. The return of the Halo TV series has been long anticipated, with the first season launching all the way back in 2022 with a nine-episode run on Paramount Plus. You'll be able to celebrate the Halo season 2 release date with two new episodes, with new installments scheduled to launch weekly from there onwards.
How many episodes of Halo Season 2 are there?
Halo Season 2 will comprise eight episodes. The first two will be available on February 8, and the next six will stream weekly via Paramount Plus every Thursday night. And if you're thinking that this run seems shorter than the last you aren't wrong, Season 2 features one fewer episode than Season 1.
Regardless, below you'll find the full Halo Season 2 release schedule:
- Halo season 2, episode 1: Sanctuary – February 8, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 2: Sword – February 8, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 3: Visegrad – February 15, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 4: Reach – February 22, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 5: Aleria – February 29, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 6: Onyx – March 7, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 7: Thermopylae – March 14, 2024
- Halo season 2, episode 8: Halo – March 21, 2024
Where to watch Halo Season 2
Halo Season 2 is set to premiere exclusively through the Paramount Plus streaming service. Thankfully, Paramount Plus launched in the UK and other regions outside of the US in 2022, meaning this second season should be more widely available than the first. If you're looking for more information on how to subscribe, info on prices, and details on how to access a seven-day free trial, you'll want to check out our guide to Paramount Plus 2024.
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Halo Season 2 story
The official Halo season 2 synopsis suggests a massive step forward for the 'Silver timeline' is about to take place, teasing that John-117 may finally inch a little closer to one of the Halo Array installations. "Master Chief John-117 leads his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. As humanity's best hope for winning the war, John-117 discovers his deep connection to a mysterious alien structure that holds the key to humankind's salvation, or its destruction – the Halo."
Whether any UNSC or Covenant forces will reach a Halo ring by the time the season concludes remains to be seen, particularly as much of the first Halo season 2 trailer is pointing towards a more immediate threat: the fall of Reach. As any longtime Halo fan will tell you, Reach has been home to some of the greatest storytelling in the entire franchise – not to mention a prelude to some truly universe-threatening events. You can see that in Bungie's Halo: Reach in 2010 (still considered to be one of the best FPS games of all time), or author Eric Nylund's 2001 novel, Halo: The Fall of Reach.
Halo Season 2 cast
The Halo season 2 cast will include plenty of returning faces, including Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, as well as a few newcomers too – including actors Joseph Morgan, Christina Rodlo, and Christina Bennington. Given the story season two appears to be tackling, the events surrounding the planet of Reach, there's a good chance that a few of these characters may not make it through the eight episode run alive. Still, here's the Halo season 2 cast that has been confirmed so far.
- Pablo Schreiber – Master Chief Petty Officer John-117.
- Jen Taylor – Cortana
- Natascha McElhone – Dr Halsey
- Danny Sapani – Captain Jacob Keyes
- Olive Gray – Dr Miranda Keyes
- Shabana Azmi – Admiral Margaret Parangosky
- Bentley Kalu – Vannak-134
- Kate Kennedy – Kai-125
- Natasha Culzac – Riz-028
- Bokeem Woodbine – Soren-066
- Yerin Ha – Kwan Ha
- Charlie Murphy – Makee
- Fiona O'Shaughnessy – Laera
- Tylan Bailey – Kessler
- Joseph Morgan – James Ackerson
- Christina Rodlo – Talia Perez
Halo Season 2 trailer
The first trailer for Halo Season 2 made its debut on January 11, a two-minute sting designed to tease out the battle between the UNSC's elite Spartan soldiers and the Covenant over the planet of Reach – a human colony world, often considered the last defense of Earth. Read the official trailer synopsis below, or look above to watch the Halo season 2 trailer for yourself.
"Master Chief John-117 (Schreiber) leads his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. In the wake of a shocking event on a desolate planet, John cannot shake the feeling that his war is about to change and risks everything to prove what no one else will believe – that the Covenant is preparing to attack humanity's greatest stronghold. With the galaxy on the brink, John embarks on a journey to find the key to humankind's salvation, or its extinction: the Halo."
Halo season 2 reviews
Reviews are in for Halo season 2. At the time of writing, the show sits at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes with 10 reviews.
Here at GamesRadar+, our Halo season 2 review, based on the first two episodes, comes in at 3 stars. "It's all change for Halo. The second season of the Paramount Plus series unceremoniously dumps some of its more controversial aspects for a renewed focus on the war between the Covenant and the UNSC – with a new-and-improved Master Chief at its center," wrote our reviewer Bradley Russell.
Halo Season 1 recap
The reaction to Halo season 1 was mixed, and that's something we even saw on-team here at GamesRadar+. The Halo TV show divided fans of the best Halo games, many of whom were concerned by how much time Master Chief spent outside of his helmet, while other critics had issues with the pacing – something which was represented in our Halo season 1 review roundup. Then again, one of our writers also believed that Halo season 1 is the gold standard for video game adaptations, and that the Halo TV show was braver than the games when it comes to the handling of John-117's past. If you want to make your own mind up, you can watch the entire first season on Paramount Plus.
Or you can find our Halo Season 1 reviews below:
- Halo season 1, episode 1 review: "Master Chief saves the day, in more ways than one"
- Halo season 1, episode 2 review: "Nicely sets the stage for Cortana's introduction"
- Halo season 1, episode 3 review: "A mixed first impression of Cortana"
- Halo season 1, episode 4 review: "Getting better and better with each passing week"
- Halo season 1, episode 5 review: "One thing sci-fi should never be is predictable"
- Halo season 1, episode 6 review: "A breathless episode that's the show's best yet"
- Halo season 1, episode 7 review: "The lack of Master Chief seriously hurts"
- Halo season 1, episode 8 review: "Tees the show up for an explosive finale"
While you wait for Halo season 2, why not go back and watch one of the best video game movies.
Josh West
Editor-in-Chief, GamesRadar+
Josh West is the Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar+. He has over 15 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+'s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you've definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.
With contributions from
- Molly EdwardsSenior Entertainment Writer
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