All 5 Halo Movies & TV Shows in Chronological Order (Live-Action & Animated)

Halo has always been one of the most popular titles in the world of video games, especially because it is one of Microsoft’s flagship video game franchises. That said, due to Halo’s popularity, there have been movies and animated shows that have been made based on the franchise’s overall plot. And considering that the second season of ‘Halo’ is coming out, you might want to watch all Halo movies and TV shows in order, that’s why we’re here to provide you both with the release date order & chronological order, so let’s go.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in February 2024 with the release of ‘Halo’ Season 2.

‘Halo’ movies & shows in release date order

‘Halo’ media franchise did not start with the ‘Halo’ TV show, it actually started with a collection of shorts released back in 2007. ‘Landfall’ was primarily released so that the players can get to see the kind of special effects that they will experience if they play Halo 3. The entire film is just about seven minutes long, but it turned out to be massively popular and the rest of the franchise followed. ‘Halo’ media universe so far consists of 5 “movies” (mostly a collection of shorts that can be watched as a single movie) and 2 seasons of live-action show.

1. ‘Halo: Landfall’ (2007)
2. ‘Halo Legends’ (2009)
3. ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ (2012)
4. ‘Halo: Nightfall’ (2014)
5. ‘Halo: The Fall of Reach’ (2015)
6. ‘Halo’ TV series (Season 1) (2022)
7. ‘Halo’ TV Series (Season 2) (2024)

Are all ‘Halo’ movies & shows connected? What’s the best way to watch them?

This is a sensitive question to answer but the short answer is that yes, all ‘Halo’ movies & shows are connected as they take place in the same Halo-inspired Universe. However, the live-action show is not part of the same timeline as the games and movies and also isn’t canon to those media. ‘Halo’ TV show is estimated to take place in 2541 or before the events of ‘Halo: Combat Evolved,’ but it takes place in an alternate timeline.

Considering all of this, the correct watch order of all ‘Halo’ inspired media is difficult, if you’re new to the franchise, definitely check out the show first. If you’re already a veteran of the lore, then chronological order makes the most sense.

All ‘Halo’ movies & shows in chronological order

Now that you know more about the chronological order of the events of the different Halo live-action and animated movies and shows, let us now look at the overall chronological order while incorporating the upcoming Halo TV series.

1. ‘Halo: The Fall of Reach’ (2015) – Between 2517 and 2525
2. ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ (2012) – Sometime before 2525
3. ‘Halo’ TV series (2022) – Estimated to take place on 2531 or before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, although it takes place in an alternate timeline.
4. ‘Halo’ TV Series Season 2 (2024)
5. ‘Halo: Landfall’ (2007) – Takes place right before 2552
6. ‘Halo Legends’ (2009) – Takes place after around 2552
7. ‘Halo: Nightfall’ (2014) – Takes place after the war versus the Covenant, which is around 2556

1. Halo: The Fall of Reach (2015)

‘Halo: The Fall of Reach’ is the earliest story in the entire Halo narrative because it takes place between 2517 and 2525. As such, if you want to start watching different ‘Halo’ movies and shows, ‘The Fall of Reach’ should be where you should be starting, as it will allow you to get to know more about the ‘Halo’ lore.

‘The Fall of Reach’ is actually the title of the very first Halo novel, which was published back in 2001, and that shows you that this is the very first story in the entire ‘Halo’ narrative. When ‘Halo 5’ was about to come out in 2015, it was important to adapt this story into a series so that newcomers to the franchise could get to know more about the entire plotline.

This series was actually meant to introduce Master Chief to newcomers in the ‘Halo’ franchise. However, there are plenty of events that take place in flashbacks. As such, because of how far the series goes back in terms of the stories that the characters tend to look back on, it is safe to say that it happens right before all of the ‘Halo’ games, movies, and shows.

2. ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ (2012)

‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ takes place sometime during or after 2525. The focus of this movie is a group of students that attend the UNSC military academy just a few months after the war between the humans and the Covenant began. However, as of that moment, the details regarding the war have yet to be released. That means that the core group of students followed by this series doesn’t even know that there is a war against the Covenant.

It was only when the students were thrown into the war themselves that they found out about it. In a way, these students were thrown into a trial by fire, as they were only able to get to know about their enemies in the middle of the war that they didn’t even know existed.

Microsoft released ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ because the people behind the upcoming ‘Halo 4’ game didn’t want the players to feel intimidated by the entire narrative of the game. In a way, ‘Forward Unto Dawn’ allowed new and old players alike to familiarize themselves with the entire plot while getting to know the story’s lore and the characters behind the game itself.

You can check this movie out as one entire film, but the truth is that it is actually a series of different episodes. As such, you can also watch the ‘Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn’ episodes individually if you want to pace yourself. 

3. ‘Halo’ TV series Season 1 (2022)

‘Halo’ depicts a monumental 26th-century battle between humanity and the Covenant, an alien menace. The series blends gripping personal stories with thrilling action and a vividly imagined futuristic setting. Executive producer Kiki Wolfkill disclosed that the show exists within its unique “Silver Timeline,” distinct from but inspired by the franchise’s established canon. This decision allows both Halo canons to develop independently, tailored to their respective media formats.

4. ‘Halo’ TV series Season 2 (2024)

The second season of the show picks up right after the events of season 1.

5. Halo: Landfall (2007)

‘Halo: Landfall’ is actually set somewhere before 2552 in the Halo universe timeline. This is actually a series of short films that were put together to form ‘Halo: Landfall.’ Unlike other Halo films that allow players to get to know the lore and the story, ‘Halo: Landfall’ was primarily released so that the players can get to see the kind of special effects that they will experience if they play ‘Halo 3.’ The entire film is just about seven minutes long, and you can watch it above if you want a quick Halo breather.

The final film of the ‘Halo: Landfall’ trilogy was actually released just hours before ‘Halo 3 was officially released to the public. But while this film may be quite short, it still belongs to the Halo continuity because it follows ‘Halo 3’s’ timeline, which is set in the middle of the 26^th century.

6. ‘Halo Legends’ (2009)

Halo Legends, which takes place after 2552, is actually just a collection of different short films that you can watch in digital format, as you may need to purchase its DVD or Blue-ray to see it. However, there are times when it can appear on Netflix or any other streaming service, although it doesn’t stay there for long.

This series follows different stories, which include:

• The Babysitter: An episode that follows the story of a group of ODSTs who are on a mission to eliminate a prophet.
• The Duel: In this episode, the focus is an Arbiter who attempts to leave the Covenant.
• Homecoming: Homecoming is an episode that follows the story of Spartan II’s death.
• Prototype: Prototype follows a character who is on a mission to rescue his team. However, he must sacrifice himself so that they can come out of the mess safely.
• The Package: This is a two-part episode that follows Master Chief and other Spartans who are on a mission to rescue Catherine Halsey. She is in the middle of a cryonic hibernation but has been stolen by the Covenant while she is still sleeping in her pod.
• Odd One Out: This is a Halo Legends episode that actually isn’t canon. That’s because it was made to be a parody of the entire Halo franchise, as a Spartan who belongs to Master Chief’s unit is stranded on a planet full of superpowered children and dinosaurs.
• Origins: Origins is the final film in this series of films, as it takes place after Halo 3. It follows the story of Cortana, who is contemplating her own life while the viewers get a bit of insight about the Forerunners and the Flood. Cortana goes on to summarize the story of human exploration and colonization in space as we get to know more about the stories of ‘Halo: Combat Evolved,’ ‘Halo 2,’ and ‘Halo 3.’

7. ‘Halo: Nightfall’ (2014)

‘Halo: Nightfall’ takes place in 2556, which is just about four years after ‘Halo: Landfall’ took place. Some of you may end up getting confused about the “Nightfall” name in the Halo canon because of the fact that there have been several things that were called Nightfall in the continuity. However, this is a short film that you shouldn’t confuse with the song also entitled “Nightfall.”

This short live-action movie takes place right between ‘Halo 4’ and ‘Halo 5,’ and that means that its events are meant to bridge the two games together so that you will understand what has been happening in between those games. The movie also introduced Agent Jameson Locked, who is one of the main characters of ‘Halo 5: Guardians. ‘

‘Halo: Nightfall’ takes place after the war of the humans against the Covenant. It follows the story of Locke, as he and his team are trying to stop the Elites or the Sangheili from using a weapon that can be devastating. Because Nightfall takes place before ‘Halo 5,’ Locke is yet to be a Spartan. He eventually finds out that the weapon they are trying to stop is actually a biological weapon that will only affect humans.

Where to watch the above-mentioned movies & shows?

Due to unconventional formats and releases of ‘Halo’ media, there is no streaming service where you can watch everything in one place. That’s why we created this short but comprehensive guide:

Will there be more ‘Halo’ movies or shows?

Well, the second season of ‘Halo’ TV show is still ongoing, although the reception of the show was generally bad and the second season received lukewarm reviews ahead of its release. This doesn’t mean that the show won’t continue for at least one more season, however. As far as animated or other live-action projects go, who knows, but it seems unlikely at the moment. We will update you as soon as we have more info.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!

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