One of Hawaii’s epic tales is coming to life.
Jason Momoa stars as the warrior Ka’iana in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Chief of War, a “passion project” for him and his co-creator Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, as they both hail from the islands.
In the first teaser for the series, which is inspired by true events, war is coming — and it’s up to Ka’iana to win.
“You will see the Prophecy fulfilled, Ka’iana,” a voiceover says in Hawaiian as the teaser begins, hinting at the journey ahead of Momoa’s character. “The path is yours to find.”
As White settlers arrive on the island and tensions rise, Ka’ahumanu (Luciane Buchanan) asks Ka’iana, “Are you still the chief who desires peace over war?”
But it’s not the time for peace in the warrior’s eyes, as he replies, “Not today,” setting the stage for the battle of a lifetime.
Chief of War is a nine-episode series set against the backdrop of Hawai’i that follows Momoa’s Ka’iana as he “tries to unify the islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century,” per the official logline.
The series is told from an Indigenous perspective and features a predominantly Polynesian cast, with Momoa and Buchanan starring alongside Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis and more.
Apple TV+
Jason Momoa in ‘Chief of War’
Momoa, 45, called the series “a story rooted in my home, my culture, and my heart” in a March Instagram post as he shared the first-look photo. “Hawaiian history has never been told like this,” he teased.
He also posted a selfie-style video to his Instagram Stories celebrating the release of the first photo from the show, as he said, “It’s finally out – please go check out the first look of Chief of War. Just wanna say, all my love to Hawai’i.”
“I’m really excited, it’s coming out on my birthday – I didn’t pick that either,” he said in the video as he also thanked Apple TV+ for releasing the show. “Been with you guys since the beginning and I’m so thankful.”
Apple TV+
Jason Momoa in “Chief of War”
Before he headed to Hawai’i to film the series in 2022, Momoa told PEOPLE that Chief of War was “20 years in the making” and called it his own version of “Braveheart or Last of the Mohicans.”
“It’s been a dream come true. And finally, my name is big enough to be able to get people interested to watch those kinds of stories. We have tons of beautiful stories and I’m very excited to go home and tell them.”
“This is everything I have,” he said of Chief of War. “I’m writing, producing, acting, and directing. Everything’s in it. It’s my whole heart, going back to my people.”
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The first 2 episodes of Chief of War premiere August 1 on Apple TV+, with new episodes premiering Fridays through Sept. 19.
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