Halo Coming to Movie Theaters
Variety reports that Microsoft is working to bring their popular video game franchise to the multiplex masses. The really tasty bit of gossip, however, is that the Redmond giant is trying to dodge the studio system:
Bestselling vidgame franchise “Halo” has taken its first major step toward the bigscreen, but without the studio system that has ruined so many of its brethren. Microsoft has quietly put the finishing touches on a million-dollar deal to hire Alex Garland to adapt the games into one movie.
That’s the most info you can get without being a Variety subscriber, which I’m not. A tantalizing tidbit, however. An article in The Seattle Times has more:
According to Variety, Microsoft is planning to develop the script on its own and take it to movie studios only after it is complete. Such a move in Hollywood is unusual for a tech company, the report said.
Microsoft likely wants to make sure that the “Halo” brand isn’t diluted, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst covering the company at Directions on Microsoft, a Kirkland-based independent research firm.
Alex Garland — the screenwriter retained by Microsoft — was the scribe behind the zombie-epidemic hit (there’s those zombies again) 28 Days.
(Props: Gamespot for the original scoop, Peter O’Kelly’s Reality Check for pointing me to the Times article)
Updates
- 11/5/2006 @ 2:10 PM — Studio backing for the Halo movie project has collapsed and all work on the movie has stopped for the moment. If this happens at all, it’s going to be a while. (via Binary Bonsai and GameSpot)
Is it gonna be animation or real actors?
please mail back am a big fan!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Fernando — February 7, 2005 @ 5:50 pm
Beats me, man. My guess, however, is live action.
Comment by Adam M. — February 7, 2005 @ 6:29 pm
if its real actors, are you going to do casting in canada or the states?? i’d deffinetly audition for the role of SPARTAN 117 a.k.a,MASTER CHIEF!!
please get back soon!!
Comment by sheldon — February 9, 2005 @ 12:43 am
Listen, guys, I’m not making the movie. Microsoft is hiring some guy to write the movie, after which they’ll approach studios about making the movie for them, probably with Microsoft funding. Right now, nobody knows what the movie is going to be like except for Microsoft and their chosen writer.
I’m interested in the movie just like you, but I can’t write back to you on stuff I know nothing about. I’m just some guy in Kansas with a weblog.
Comment by Adam M. — February 9, 2005 @ 11:06 am
any clues to when it will be dropped in the theater
Comment by Dan — February 10, 2005 @ 7:46 am
Dan: Didn’t see anything in the articles, but then again everything seems to be at a very early stage right now. My gut feeling is that MS will try to maximize brand synergy by pushing the movie into theaters about the same time the third Halo game comes out.
I can’t believe I just used the phrase “maximize brand synergy” in a sentence. Especially at this hour.
Comment by Adam M. — February 10, 2005 @ 8:17 am
I think it should be live action because it would be no fun if it was animated.NOT!
Comment by Zack — February 18, 2005 @ 4:24 pm
well, i think they should make it anumated, cuz people cant do all the stuff animation can, i would hate to think they ruined the movie because of bad animation
Comment by J. Smith — February 19, 2005 @ 8:21 pm