The first trailer for Apple TV+’s Chief of War invites viewers to “witness the rise of the kingdom of Hawai’i…” and watch star Jason Momoa ride a shark. According to the miniseries’ description on YouTube, Chief of War “follows the epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawai’i in the late 18th century,” recounting the story from an indigenous perspective. That perspective is telegraphed through one of Momoa’s lines, “The pale skin honors no gods of land.”
It’s described as a “passion project” for its co-creators, Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, who both share native Hawaiian heritage. A largely Polynesian cast also includes Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale’o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka,Te Kohe Tuhaka and Benjamin Hoetjes.
As Parade points out, Chief of War is set between 1782 to 1810 amid the historical unification of Hawaii under Kamehameha I. Ka’iana, Momoa’s character in the show, was first an ally of Kamehameha I and assisted the ruler in acquiring Western weapons and training his military. In 1795, Ka’iana defected to side with Kalanikūpule, the ruler of Oahu, ahead of a pivotal battle in the archipelago’s history.
The trailer was released just as Momoa was in the news for his role at Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning farewell concert. Though he was serving as the event’s host, that didn’t stop the A-list actor from jumping into a mosh pit during Pantera’s set and shouting the chorus to “Walk” alongside fellow metal heads.
Chief of War debuts its first two episodes on Apple TV+ on Friday, August 1, followed by subsequent episode releases every Friday through September 19. Watch the trailer below:
