Showtime wants an epic with a lot of pre-existing fanbase action, like what HBO has gotten with “Game of Thrones’’ and what Amazon is going to get with “Lord of the Rings.’’ So the home of “Shameless,’’ “Homeland,’’ “Billions,’’ “Ray Donovan,’’ and “SMILF’’ is planning a scripted drama based on the video-game franchise “Halo.’’ The “Halo’’ franchise has earned more than $5 billion in sales.

Showtime has picked up 10 episodes of the live-action show, which will be executive produced and written by Kyle Killen, who’ll serve as showrunner. Killen is the talented guy behind two interesting but short-lived shows, “Lone Star’’ with James Wolk and Jon Voight and “Awake’’ with Jason Isaacs. Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes’’) will direct a handful of episodes and also executive produce.

According to David Nevins, the president and CEO of Showtime, “Halo’’ will focus on “an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant.’’ Nevins also called the show “our most ambitious series ever.’’

Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewGilbert.