One of Hawaii's epic tales is coming to life. Jason Momoastars as the warrior Ka'iana in the upcoming Apple TV+ seriesChiefof 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." Apple TV+ 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 Waris 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+ Momoa, 45, called the series "a story rooted in my home, my culture, and my heart" in a March Instagrampostas 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 ofChief of War. Just wanna say, all my love to Hawai'i." "I'm really excited, it's coming out onmy 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+ Beforehe headed to Hawai'i to film the series in 2022, Momoa told PEOPLE thatChief of Warwas "20 years in the making" andcalled it his own version of "BraveheartorLast 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 ofChief of War. "I'm writing, producing, acting, and directing. Everything's in it. It's my whole heart, going back to my people." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The first 2 episodes ofChief of Warpremiere August 1 on Apple TV+, with new episodes premiering Fridays through Sept. 19. Read the original article onPeople
