{"rewrite":{"id":"r_bb02efd8ac8293ec71220cdc","clusterId":"c_b6cd1cadf3f0d251b1821084","slug":"ace-combat-8-live-action-prequel-hour-zero-streams-from-september-15","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Ace Combat 8 Live-Action Prequel HOUR ZERO Streams From September 15","summary":"Bandai Namco Entertainment announced that ACE COMBAT HOUR ZERO, a live-action prequel to ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, will stream in four parts starting September 15. Josh Holloway plays a pilot, Brandon Routh a doctor, and Tamlyn Tomita a news anchor, three survivors of the invasion whose stories lead into the game's campaign. The full series finishes before the game's October 2 release.","whyItMatters":"Bandai Namco is spending on live-action casting and a four-part rollout to bring in newcomers ahead of the game's October 2 launch, with the prequel built to connect to the campaign without spoiling it.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eJosh Holloway, Brandon Routh, and Tamlyn Tomita lead the cast. Holloway plays a pilot who lost a place to land, Routh a doctor who saved an enemy\u0026#39;s life, and Tomita a news anchor silenced for telling the truth. The series follows how their daily lives break apart and the countdown to the moment war begins, a war that also frames the game: the invasion of the Central Usean Federation by the Republic of Sotoa. Episode 1 arrives September 15, and the four parts finish before ACE COMBAT 8 reaches PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on October 2. A teaser video is out.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEpisode 1\u003c/strong\u003e: streams September 15, 2026\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRemaining episodes\u003c/strong\u003e: released in a total of 4 parts, finishing before the game\u0026#39;s October 2 launch\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","blueskyPost":"HOUR ZERO runs four parts and wraps before Ace Combat 8's October 2 release, so Bandai Namco built a live-action bridge with episode slots timed to the game's marketing runway, not a one-off teaser.","twitterPost":"Four HOUR ZERO parts, finished before Ace Combat 8's October 2 launch. The live-action prequel's schedule is a marketing runway, not a teaser.","threadsPost":"HOUR ZERO runs four parts and ends before Ace Combat 8 launches on October 2. Josh Holloway, Brandon Routh, and Tamlyn Tomita play survivors whose stories lead into the campaign, so Bandai Namco is spending its pre-launch window on serialized live-action instead of a single trailer.","newsletterBlurb":"Bandai Namco will stream ACE COMBAT HOUR ZERO, a live-action prequel to Ace Combat 8, in four parts starting September 15. Josh Holloway, Brandon Routh, and Tamlyn Tomita play a pilot, a doctor, and a news anchor who survive the invasion, and the series leads into the game's campaign without spoiling it. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve follows on October 2 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/11/172110.html\",\"title\":\"Ace Combat 8 Prequel Live-Action Series \\\"HOUR ZERO\\\" to Stream in 4 Parts Starting September 15! A Story Connecting to the Main Game, Depicted from the Perspectives of a Pilot, a Doctor, and a News Anchor Who Survived the Invasion\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":4792,"outputTokens":774,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1789055977,"createdAt":"2026-09-10T15:54:52.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-10T15:58:23.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-10T15:58:23.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_b6cd1cadf3f0d251b1821084","canonicalTitle":"『エースコンバット8』前日譚の実写映像「HOUR ZERO」9月15日から全4回で配信！侵攻で生き残ったパイロット・医者・ニュースキャスターの視点で描かれる本編に繋がる物語","representativeArticleId":"a_48dd48e46d1f45a7d88d4ec9","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":true,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Ace Combat 8\",\"HOUR ZERO\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[\"Josh Holloway\",\"Brandon Routh\",\"Tamlyn Tomita\"],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-10T15:06:37.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-10T15:06:37.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-10T15:58:20.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/11/172110.html","title":"『エースコンバット8』前日譚の実写映像「HOUR ZERO」9月15日から全4回で配信！侵攻で生き残ったパイロット・医者・ニュースキャスターの視点で描かれる本編に繋がる物語"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Ace Combat 8","HOUR ZERO"],"studios":[],"people":["Josh Holloway","Brandon Routh","Tamlyn Tomita"],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":null}