Apple TV+’s upcoming historical drama centered on the colonization of Hawaii, Chief of War, has added Cliff Curtis to its cast, according to Variety. The series is co-created by See star Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett (Braven, The Last Manhunt). Fifth Season and Chernin Entertainment will produce the series.
According to Variety, Curtis, who was recently seen in James Cameron’s (Titanic, Alien) billion-dollar epic Avatar: The Way of Water, has been cast as Keōua, a native of the island who believes he should succeed as the next leader of Hawaii. The series is a searing action drama depicting Western civilization’s seizing of the land known as Hawaii from the perspective of its Indigenous population. Momoa is set to star as the lead, Ka’iana, along with a long list of actors all previously announced.
The cast includes Luciane Buchanan (Mr. Corman, Stray), Brandon Finn (Magnum P.I., Ala Moana Boys), Moses Goods (NCIS: Hawai’i, Stones), Te A o Hinepehinga (Breakwater, Head High), Siua Ikale’o (Pick A Side, They Don’t Cast Shadows), Mainei Kinimaka (Ka Po, The Last Manhunt), newcomer Kaina Makua, Temuera Morrison (The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandolorian), Te Kohe Tuhaka (The Dead Lands, Love and Monsters), and James Udon (The Sandman, The Tragedy of Macbeth).
Variety reports Sibbett and Momoa are executive producers along with showrunner Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, The Cloverfield Paradox), Jenno Topping (Can’t Hardly Wait, The Heat), Francis Lawrence (Gotham, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), and Peter Chernin (St. Vincent. Mega Man). Additional executive producers include Tracey Cook (Spy, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates), Anders Engstrom (Taboo, The Kiss of Evil), Molly Allen (Th Great Debaters, Vanilla Sky), and Brian Mendoza (Braven, Sweet Girl).
Director Justin Chon (21 & Over, Blue Bayou) will also produce and is set to direct the first two episodes.
Chief of War will be Momoa’s second series with Apple after his three-season run in the sci-fi epic, See. According to Variety, it will be his first time writing on a television project.