Jason Momoa offers a passionate preview of his upcoming series Chief of War, explaining why it’s been described as much bigger than Game of Thrones. Momoa, who got his big break with the role of Khal Drogo in HBO’s adaptation of the George R. R. Martin classic, is returning to television with an epic new drama that’s focused on the major kingdoms of the Hawaiian islands. The nine-episode Chief of War will premiere on August 1 on Apple TV+, with Momoa serving as the lead star, in addition to executive producing and co-creating the series with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett.
Speaking with GQ about Chief of War, Momoa drew a comparison between his time as Khal Drogo and his upcoming Apple TV+ miniseries. The current Minecraft Movie headliner was addressing the scope and cultural significance of his upcoming project, mentioning that someone he worked with on the HBO show observed that Chief of War was “bigger than Game of Thrones could ever be.” The full quote is below:
I can’t get us in trouble with, but there’s someone that I worked with on Game of Thrones who’s very, extremely important, and they came in to help on some stuff and really dove into the world of what we’re doing. And they lost themselves in this world. They came back to us and they were like, did you know this? Did you know that? Did you know this? And I’m like, bro. Yeah. We know this. And he’s like, ‘This is bigger than Game of Thrones could ever be. Fuck dragons, dude—this thing is insane.’ These are real stories. We have so many stories.
And that’s the beauty of it. It’s a really cool moment in time for us. Once this kicks open the door and for our people, for everyone… Anyone who understands the business knows how hard it is just to even get here. And so we can’t tell everything, but we sure as fuck kicked open that door and now all of the younger kids can rush in there and hopefully they’re inspired. That’s really what we want our people to be stoked on
It’ll Be An Epic Saga
Hailing from Fifth Season, the production studio behind Severance, and Chernin Entertainment, Chief of War promises to deliver “the epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawai‘i at the turn of the 18th century,” according to the official press release from Apple TV+. It is Momoa’s second series with the streamer, coming after the sci-fi thriller See, which ran for three seasons. The upcoming drama is a passion project for the star, with the idea first being tossed about ten years ago. Game of Thrones is a global series, though Momoa’s latest has a personal backstory.
Related
Jason Momoa’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows
From Game of Thrones to Aquaman to Dune, Jason Momoa’s best movies and TV shows highlight his impressive career over the years.
As the co-creator Sibbett mentions in the same interview, it was decided that Momoa would have to raise his profile as an actor and that Sibbett would also need to establish himself more as a writer. After collaborating on a few projects, they reunited to work on Chief of War. It features a largely Polynesian cast, with the actors including The Night Agent‘s Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale’o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka, and Te Kohe Tuhaka.
Our Take On Chief of War
It’s A Must For Momoa Fans
Chief of War may well have a place among the most popular shows on Apple TV+ since the drama’s epic scope allows for some broad appeal. But given how personal it is to the actor, with the Aquaman star sharing writing credits and directing the finale, it is a crucial watch for anyone who has followed Momoa’s career since his days as Drogo.
Source: GQ