Jason Momoa is returning to Apple TV+ in an epic new historical drama and we’ve got a first look!
Jason Momoa has blossomed into one of the most reliable TV and movie stars in Hollywood. Two decades after his breakout turn in Baywatch: Hawaii, followed by Stargate: Atlantis, Momoa is now a huge star, mostly for playing Aquaman in the DCEU, Dune, and the villain in Fast X.
Momoa is also known for his TV work, including playing Khal Dogo in Game of Thrones, the crime drama Frontier, and the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama See. That adventure took place in a distant future where a plague renders humanity blind. Momoa played a tribal leader protecting a pair of sighted children with a good three-season run.
Now, Momoa is coming back to Apple TV+ in the new historical drama Chief of War. The first look promises another great turn for the action star!
What is Chief of War about?
Premiering on Apple TV+ on Aug. 1, Chief of War is not only Momoa returning to Apple TV+ but also to Hawaii. It’s a passion project he’s been working on for years, along with Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett. Momoa also wrote for the series and directed the first season finale.
Per Apple TV+’s press release, the series “follows the epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawai‘i at the turn of the 18th century.”
Momoa plays Ka'iana, a warrior facing challenges as he tries to unite the various tribes of the islands while dealing with the threat of foreign colonists.
Besides Momoa, the predominantly Polynesian cast includes Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale‘o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka, and Te Kohe Tuhaka.
Momoa has been pushing for the show for a long time, telling Men’s Health in 2023 that the show was “my holy grail” for wanting to pay tribute to his culture:
“I never thought it would be this big. It’s the hardest, most challenging, most demanding thing I’ve ever done. It’s the last big dream I have left. Everything else is just kind of ‘actor for hire,’ but this is my homage to my people. We have so many beautiful stories in Hawaii that no one knows about. All I care about is just doing right by my people.”
The series looks like a great new historical drama for Apple TV+. It’s fitting for Momoa, who is well versed in epic tales with Game of Thrones and See. His clear passion for this show is carrying over to make it a personal project and likely putting more into his performance than for other series.
The show will debut with two episodes on Aug. 1, with one new episode airing every week. We’re still waiting on a trailer, but this should be another top entry in Momoa’s impressive resume for a fun epic series!
Chief of War premieres Aug. 1 on Apple TV+.