NEED TO KNOW
Apple TV+ has debuted the trailer for the Jason Momoa-led historical drama Chief of War
The extended preview shows what’s at stake as it chronicles the unification of the Hawaiian islands amid threats of colonization
The series, which is based on true events, is a passion project for Momoa and co-creator Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett
Jason Momoa is channeling his Hawaiian heritage for the epic new historical drama Chief of War.
Co-created by Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett and the 45-year-old actor, who also wrote and executive produced the project, the nine-episode Apple TV+ series is based on true events surrounding the unification of the Hawaiian islands as they face colonization from the West in the late 1700s.
In the first trailer released by the streaming platform on Thursday, July 10, Momoa leads the saga as Ka‘iana, a revered warrior and fierce protector of his native lands known by others as “the first of our people.”
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“They will be coming soon,” he says, referring to the arrival of white men, before warning: “If this island is divided, this kingdom will fall.”
The three-minute, action-packed trailer then shows what’s at stake for the indigenous people and the lush, untouched islands as they navigate internal conflicts as well as the impending threat of settlements.
“We will need him to face the troubles that come our way,” says Kaʻahumanu (Luciane Buchanan, The Night Agent), who finds herself caught up in the unfolding saga, before Ka‘iana ends the trailer by saying, “Tomorrow we face Gods and men to build a kingdom. No matter what happens to me, this is your home.”
Apple TV+
Te Ao o Hinepehinga on ‘Chief of War’
According to Apple TV+, Chief of War “is a passion project for creators Momoa and Sibbett, who share native Hawaiian heritage.” (Sibbett also served as a writer on the actor’s superhero movie Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.)
As seen in the extended preview, the series is “told from an indigenous perspective,” with the streamer noting that it “features a predominantly Polynesian cast.”
Apple TV+
Brandon Finn on ‘Chief of War’
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In addition to Momoa and Buchanan, 31, Chief of War stars Temuera Morrison (The Book of Boba Fett), Cliff Curtis (Fear the Walking Dead), Te Ao o Hinepehinga (Breakwater), Moses Goods (Inhumans), Siua Ikale‘o (NCIS: Hawai’i), Brandon Finn (FBI: International), James Udom (Echo 3), Mainei Kinimaka (See), Te Kohe Tuhaka (The Dead Lands) and newcomer Kaina Makua.
The series, meanwhile, marks Momoa’s latest project on Apple TV+ following See, the dystopian sci-fi epic that ran for three seasons from 2019 to 2022.
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Chief of War premieres with two episodes on Aug. 1, with new episodes debuting weekly on Fridays on Apple TV+.
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