‘Halo: Nightfall’ Discussed By Agent Locke Actor, Mike Colter

We got the first look at Halo: Nightfall‘s Agent Locke and the actor who plays him, Mike Colter, on Monday. The veteran supporting actor is stepping front and center for a live-action series that bridges the gap between Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians for the Xbox One, and he discussed his role and experience the experiencing shooting the Ridley Scott production.

“Agent Locke is a new character to the Halo franchise and will play a pivotal role in Halo: Nightfall and Halo 5: Guardians. I’m really excited for our Halo: Nightfall panel at San Diego Comic-Con – Agent Locke is one of the most exciting and unique characters I’ve ever played, and I can’t wait to tell fans all about him next week,” Colter told Canada.com in an interview.

Halo: Nightfall not only serves as the bridge between games but also as an origin story for Jameson Locke. The character has been described as disillusioned with the military-industrial complex that arose as a result of the Human-Covenant War, but how he figures into Halo 5 still remains a mystery.

An E3 trailer and promotional for the Halo: The Master Chief Collection revealed that Agent Locke is not just a Spartan but an Oni agent as well. He’s on a search for Master Chief and ends up on the Elite home world of Sanghelli where he receives a lesson in the Halo hero’s past from the Arbiter, voiced by Keith David.

Microsoft and 343 Industries achieved success with the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn live-action series that served as a lead-in to Halo 4. The production values for Nightfall have been ramped up as a result, and Colter says he was attracted by an impressive script.

“I’m actually new to gaming – so I haven’t had a chance to play through all of the Halo games yet. However, one of the main reasons why I was so attracted to Halo: Nightfall to begin with was the script. The world it introduces is mysterious and intriguing and the character I play (Agent Locke) immediately connected with me. Having worked on Halo: Nightfall and gotten a taste for what Halo has to offer, it definitely has me interested in picking up the games and getting familiarized more with the Halo universe,” Colter explained.

Shooting the live-action series was apparently a challenge as well. Much of the production took place in Northern Ireland and Iceland during a bout of unseasonal weather.

“As far as preparation for the character, I’d say that there was really no way to prepare because the biggest challenges came from the unseasonable weather we encountered on a daily basis. The elements actually brought a depth to the world we were creating that I hope comes across on film. I can’t recall too many days where I was completely comfortable on set. We just had to fight through it. From Northern Ireland to Iceland we were plagued with rain, near freezing temps and wind. Sometimes all three. A challenge in itself,” wrote Colter.

Microsoft and 343 Industries will be at the San Diego Comic-Con this week to fully introduce Agent Locke and Halo: Nightfall. There will be an hour-long panel on Thursday, July 24 at 11:45 am PT where executive producer Kiki Wolfkill and Franchise Director Frank O’Connor will be joined by Colter and the rest of the cast and crew to reveal details of the story and production.

Halo: Nightfall will be released as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection this November 11. The collection includes Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3 and Halo 4, all running at 1080p and 60 fps (with one possible exception). It also includes access to the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta due to launch in December. Nightfall will also be available through Xbox LIVE for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 as well as Windows Phone and Surface tablets.