Miniseries · Apple TV
Chief of War
Divided islands. War on the horizon.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Jason Momoa
KaʻIana
9 eps
Luciane Buchanan
Kaʻahumanu
9 eps
Te Ao o Hinepehinga
Kūpuohi
9 eps
Cliff Curtis
Keoua
9 eps
Kaina Makua
King Kamehameha
9 eps
Moses Goods
Moku
9 eps
Siua Ikaleʻo
Nāhi
9 eps
Brandon Finn
Prince Kūpule
9 eps
Mainei Kinimaka
Heke
9 eps
Te Kohe Tuhaka
Nāmake
9 eps
Benjamin Hoetjes
John Young
9 eps
Roimata Fox
Taula
9 eps
Keala Kahuanui-Paleka
Opunui
9 eps
James Udom
Tony
9 eps
Temuera Morrison
King Kahekili
8 eps
Tanaloa Ropati Tejada
Kailioa
1 eps
Joseph A. Napeahi Sr.
Kauaʻi High Chief
1 eps
Ocean Kaowili
Pahoa
2 eps
Te Po Mitai-Ngatai
High Priest
1 eps
Joseph Oge
Maui Chief
1 eps
Daniel Watta
King Hahana
1 eps
Charlie Brumbly
Marley
3 eps
Shimpal Lelisi
Star Reader
1 eps
Kainoa Andrade
Maui Warrior #1
1 eps
Marie Falevai Sibbett
Namahana
1 eps
Albert Mateni
Hawaii Warrior
1 eps
Erroll Shand
Captain John Meares
5 eps
Siaosi Fonua
Maui War Captain
1 eps
Peter Tait
Copley
2 eps
Wolf Chen
China Jack
1 eps
Sisa Grey
Vai
2 eps
Ioane Goodhue
Lima
4 eps
Hoete Mitai-Ngatai
Male Attendant
1 eps
Levy Tuiala
Oʻahu Man
1 eps
Andrew Kamoku
Oʻahu Chief
1 eps
Kaʻimi Kaneholani
Warrior
1 eps
Branscombe Richmond
King Kalaniopuʻu
1 eps
Xavier Horan
Gunsmith
1 eps
Chris Easley
Englishman
1 eps
Jason Hood
Captain Metcalfe
3 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Chief of War actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Chief of War reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Serialized.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
With Hawaii's four kingdoms divided by war, the ferocious warrior Kaʻiana embarks on an epic mission to unite his people—as an existential threat approaches their shores.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E09
The Black Desert
A great battle arrives as Kaʻiana and Kamehameha lead their army against the combined might of Maui and Keōua.
- Directed by Jason Momoa
- Written by Thomas Pa'a Sibbett, Jason Momoa
S01E07
Day of Spilled Brains
A disagreement erupts about how to deal with the arrival of outsiders.
- Directed by Anders Engström
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E02
Changing Tides
Fearing for their lives, Kaʻiana and his family flee O‘ahu. An ally emerges with a promise of safe passage.
- Directed by Justin Chon
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E01
The Chief of War
Kaʻiana is summoned back home to Maui where he must decide whether to join King Kahekili in war.
- Directed by Justin Chon
- Written by Thomas Pa'a Sibbett, Jason Momoa
S01E06
The Splintered Paddle
Kūpuohi tries to keep the hope of peace alive as the drums of war grow louder. Kaʻiana questions Kamehameha's leadership.
- Directed by Anders Engström
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E08
The Sacred Niu Grove
After his worst fears come true, Kaʻiana suffers a devastating loss. Keōua's call to war becomes unavoidable for Kamehameha.
- Directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S01E09
The Black Desert
- Directed by Jason Momoa
- Written by Thomas Pa'a Sibbett, Jason Momoa
S01E08
The Sacred Niu Grove
- Directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E07
Day of Spilled Brains
- Directed by Anders Engström
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E06
The Splintered Paddle
- Directed by Anders Engström
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E05
The Race of the Gods
- Directed by Brian Andrew Mendoza
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
S01E04
City of Flowers (2)
- Directed by Anders Engström, Brian Andrew Mendoza
- Written by Doug Jung, Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Thomas Pa'a Sibbett
Showrunner
Jason Momoa
Creator
- Photo unavailable
Tracey Cook
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Doug Jung
Executive producer
Peter Chernin
Executive producer
Jim Rowe
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Molly Allen
Executive producer
Anders Engström
Executive producer
Francis Lawrence
Executive producer
Justin Chon
Executive producer
Brian Andrew Mendoza
Executive producer
Tim Van Patten
Executive producer
Jenno Topping
Executive producer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Brian KeaulanaProducer
- Tracey CookExecutive Producer
- Sarah J. DonohueProducer
- Doug JungExecutive Producer
- Angela LapreteProducer
- Peter CherninExecutive Producer
Writing
- Doug JungWriter
- Thomas Pa'a SibbettWriter
- Jason MomoaWriter
Direction
- Anders EngströmDirector
- Justin ChonDirector
- Jason MomoaDirector
- Brian Andrew MendozaDirector
Music
- Hans ZimmerOriginal Music Composer
- James EveringhamOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Apple TVStreaming
- Apple TV Amazon ChannelStreaming
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