Game over for Halo movie?

[YankeeH8er]

Link. (http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/20/game-over-for-halo-movie/)

""Both Universal and Fox Studios have pulled out of the Halo movie adaptation, citing rising movie costs and concern over the inexperience of first time director Neil Blomkamp. As the budget was rumored to be edging closer to $200 million, and Microsoft getting a lion's share of the profits, the studio execs decided it was time to pull the plug.

It's hard to argue with the logic on this one, based on the director alone. While Peter Jackson is executive producing, Neil Blomkamp doesn't have one feature film to his name, having only been a 3D animator on TV shows like Smallville and Stargate, and directed a Halo-ish short film entitled Alive in Joburg. If Jackson himself took the reins, it would probably be a no brainer, but you can easily understand Universal and Fox not wanting to roll a pair of $200 million dollar dice on someone their first time out of the gate.

Microsoft hasn't made things much easier, demanding an upfront fee of five million for the rights and 10% of the profits -- especially when movies based on video games have never been huge performers at the box office. This isn't to say the movie still couldn't get made. Jackson is still attached and pre-production continues on the film, although without a studio home it now faces a serious uphill battle.

According to Jackson's agent at International Creative Management, Ken Kamins, "What happened was this: Universal, on behalf of both studios, asked for a meeting with the filmmakers just prior to the due date of a significant payment. Basically, they said that in order to move forward with the film, the filmmakers had to significantly reduce their deals. They waited until the last minute to have this conversation. Peter and Fran, after speaking with their producing partners and with Microsoft and Bungee (the studio that designed the original game), respectfully declined.""

[Conjoshus]

You know.. i actually have no idea what I feel about this... I was nervous about him doing Halo until I read his interview... it sounded like he had the right direction there.

But I fully understand their perspective, but I wonder why they let it get this far along to begin with.

In the end... Transformers and Spiderman 3 become the biggest movies this summer as opposed to being bitch slapped by Halo.

[Newport420]

I am stoked that they ar epulling out. I believe they voice a serious concern that I echoed regarding the dircetor choice. The possibility of Peter Jackson doing teh directing has me salivating.


In the end I want the best possible Halo movie we can get. If this makes it a better movie..... I can deal with a potential delay.

[jp]

That sucks. I was looking forward to seeing how they would pull it off. Ah well, c'est la ve.

[Newport420]

If you think for one second that the Halo movie won't happy your insane. There is no way they will let the project die. The movie will be made and it will be the awesomeness.

Will it come out when I want it to? Hell no. But will it be friggin awesome? HELLS YES!

[jp]

The Halo movie won't happy?


I think it might happy. Just a little bit.

[Conjoshus]

If you think for one second that the Halo movie won't happen your insane. There is no way they will let the project die. The movie will be made and I hope it will be the awesomeness.

Will it come out when I want it to? Hell no. But will it be friggin awesome? HOPEFULLY!

*fixed*

They still have plenty of chances to ruin the movie.

[jp]

Well, it was partially fixed. It should read:

"If you think for one second that the Halo movie won't happen YOU'RE insane"


But I do agree with your assessment at the end. :)

[Newport420]

Ahhh christ. I am a "hunt and peck" typer....... with no time to post. Go easy on an overworked corporate rat race son of a bitch will ya?

[Conjoshus]

Well, it was partially fixed. It should read:

"If you think for one second that the Halo movie won't happen YOU'RE insane"


But I do agree with your assessment at the end. :)

My fault, my fault... I've been working on backstories to all the Sestren comic issues for when I put their pages up today! Too much text... too much text...

[jp]

'Tis all good.

[Advocate]

ITS BACK ...

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/exclusive-halo-movie-has-reach-4305

[Frogacuda]

The movie had an academy award nominated screenwriter already. The writer of the GI Joe movie is not going to be the one to make this happen.

[Advocate]

And you know why I don't take your opinion at all about this movie?

You didn't read the article ... and if you did happen to read it. You'd know that Halo: Fall of Reach was one of the best scifi books out there. Considering the video game backstory they supplied. Eric Nyland really made a fantasitic read out of almost nothing.

[Hunter]

I don't know, I wish this meant something, but at this point, it isn't up to MS I think.

[Advocate]

From the movie insiders it was. The budget was getting high.

[Frogacuda]

And you know why I don't take your opinion at all about this movie?

You didn't read the article ... and if you did happen to read it. You'd know that Halo: Fall of Reach was one of the best scifi books out there. Considering the video game backstory they supplied. Eric Nyland really made a fantasitic read out of almost nothing.

I did read the article. Not only did I read the article, but I know the original screenwriter personally, and I probably know a lot more about why this project fell through than you do. Stop being such an asshole to me all the time, it's getting creepy.

Also, reading an article about an adaptation is not going to make me "know" that Fall of Reach is good (and you say I state opinions as facts?). I didn't read the book and I don't give a fuck, the script was never the issue.

From the movie insiders it was. The budget was getting high.
Wrong. The studio bailed on it because the budget got too high, and MS wanted to save the film and secure alternate funding and distribution, but weren't able to. If it was up to MS it would have already happened. They've been very supportive.

[Advocate]

ahem.

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/exclusive-halo-fall-of-reach-concept-art-5150

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=39237&d=1218027324

[Advocate]

and another pic.

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=39399&d=1218508925

[Advocate]

New this week ...

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=39571&d=1219096183

[Frogacuda]

Nice concept art. Wouldn't mind a little color.

Good luck to them. I don't see it happening any time real soon though.

[KANG the Crybaby]

To do this movie any justice they might as well just make the whole thing CG, like FF: Spirits Within. I have a feeling if it's live action it's gonna come off looking cheap like the Doom movie. Unless someone like James Cameron or Peter Jackson got his hands on this, they aren't gonna pull it off.

Hell, use the same VA's from the game as well, I'd definitely pay to see that.

I'm honestly shocked this project has been moving so slow, since the games broke all kinds of media sales records (which include hollywood movie ticket sales).

[Hunter]

Thats true, except that no one will go see a purely CG Movie that isn't a comedy. It's a death blow for any movie with a serious or action-oriented plot to be made in purely CG.

[KANG the Crybaby]

Thats true, except that no one will go see a purely CG Movie that isn't a comedy. It's a death blow for any movie with a serious or action-oriented plot to be made in purely CG.

Well no one went to see the FF CG movie because it had nothing in common with final fantasy. I guarantee you had Cloud Strife been in that movie it would have done a ton of money.

A legit Halo CG movie could be huge.

[Hunter]

Beowulf

[Advocate]

which was a movie no one was clamoring for.

They already did Beowulf, so it was another one of Hollywood remakes. Halo is a NEW property.

Beowulf in CG =/= Halo in CG.

[KANG the Crybaby]

Beowulf was amazing

[Hunter]

Yes, it was amazing, and yet it bombed horribly. Polar Express? Same thing. TMNT? A HUGE franchise? Didn't do too hot.

[KANG the Crybaby]

Don't underestimate the amount of Halo fanboys out there, seriously. All those films did bomb or perform average, but they ain't Halo.

Besides Guitar Hero, I know just as many people who play Halo that don't play most other videogames, Halo is like the Wii of games IMO.

[Advocate]

Polar Express? Same thing.
Did far better on DVD sales actually.


TMNT? A HUGE franchise? Didn't do too hot.

Spawned a sequel that's in the planning stages now. IMAGI may work on it again, after they are done with Astro Boy and Gatchman CG movies.

AND no TMNT actually did better than was projected to do. Was it better than the movies that it comepeted with? No. But the studio and the film company were surprised it did so well and the DVD sales were where its at.

[Advocate]

Halo movie is NOT dead.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=57861

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7261:iesb-exclusive-master-chief-and-halo-may-be-coming-to-the-big-screen-sooner-than-expected-with-a-new-big-name-producer&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73



IESB has learned exclusively (believe me this is solid and I've confirmed it three times over with studio executives and our close ties to CAA) that one of the biggest producers in Hollywood history is currently in active negotiations to develop the feature film adaptation and no it's not Jerry Bruckheimer or Peter Jackson. It's the man behind Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones and Transformers, Mr. Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg is blown away by writer Stuart Beattie's take on the game in his script entitled HALO THE FALL OF REACH. This coupled with the fact that his Dreamworks umbrella is looking for a big tent pole to help launch their newly independant studio with distribution over at Walt Disney Pictures after losing Transformers to Paramount in the separation, it's the perfect combination.

And after the awesome trailers and reviews for District 9 ... I want Blomkamp back on Halo. NOW.

[YankeeH8er]

No fucking way. I would love to see it but I cant imagine it getting made now. Why would MS drop their insane demands now when they wouldn't before?

[DarthArcturus]

I'm sure it will happen at some point...a halo movie has huge potential.

[Advocate]

No fucking way. I would love to see it but I cant imagine it getting made now. Why would MS drop their insane demands now when they wouldn't before?
It wasn't MS that didn't allow this to happen. It was the joint partnership of 20th Century Fox and Universal.

[Advocate]

This was Neil Blomkamp's Proof-Concept-Reel he had ready.

5BaVb2TlWb0

you know what sucks? This version of vBulletinthat doesn't allow for youtube HD embedding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BaVb2TlWb0

[KANG the Crybaby]

District 9 is basically a Halo movie, go see it.

[YankeeH8er]

It wasn't MS that didn't allow this to happen. It was the joint partnership of 20th Century Fox and Universal.

No it was MS demanding a non-standard profit sharing agreement while also demanding complete creative control. The studio's balked at that and also at having such an in-experienced director at the helm for such an expensive movie.

[Frogacuda]

District 9 is basically a Halo movie, go see it.

It's really not at all, but it's probably going to be better

Watching the video Ad posted, it's interesting, but I don't think I'd be able to deal with all that shaky cam in theaters.

[KANG the Crybaby]

It's really not at all, but it's probably going to be better

Watching the video Ad posted, it's interesting, but I don't think I'd be able to deal with all that shaky cam in theaters.

I meant as far as the aliens go, they look exactly out of the Halo universe.

And yeah, District 9 could be better, I don't know why everyone thinks a Halo movie would be good. Look at what happened to the Doom movie, and that isn't much different of a premise where the main character is a large super soldier who doesn't talk much.
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For example I think Tekken has an awesome storyline but it would be laughable as a movie.

[Conjoshus]

I meant as far as the aliens go, they look exactly out of the Halo universe.

And yeah, District 9 could be better, I don't know why everyone thinks a Halo movie would be good. Look at what happened to the Doom movie, and that isn't much different of a premise where the main character is a large super soldier who doesn't talk much.
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[post updated]
For example I think Tekken has an awesome storyline but it would be laughable as a movie.

The DOOM movie failed in every respect in regard to even hitting the DOOM storyline. How are you even going to compare the two?

[jp]

For example I think Tekken has an awesome storyline but it would be laughable as a movie.

Not so fast, Fatal Fury the Animated Movie is quite excellent and is full of fan service. So it is possible for good videogame movies to be made.

[YankeeH8er]

http://xs842.xs.to/xs842/09326/senor-spielbergo919.jpg

[Luminous]

I personally want a CG movie, success be damned. Especially after seeing the cut scenes in Halo Wars. I just think it would be better. Especially if you wanted the Chief as your main character. You could have Steve Downes as Chief, David Scully as Sgt. Johnson, Jen Taylor as Cortana, Keith David as Arbiter, etc.

That video Advocate posted I have had on my 360 HDD since before Halo 3 hit. I do think it looks real good, but I agree with Frog the camera is too shaky.


Either way if they make one it better not suck. :mad:

[Advocate]

No it was MS demanding a non-standard profit sharing agreement while also demanding complete creative control. The studio's balked at that and also at having such an in-experienced director at the helm for such an expensive movie.


It was the joint partnership of 20th Century Fox and Universal.which is what I said. We are both saying the same thing in a different way.
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[post updated]

but I don't think I'd be able to deal with all that shaky cam in theaters.
District 9 has that ... a lot. Unless that's what you're talking about.

If not ... Be prepared.

[DarthArcturus]

I've never had a problem with shaky cameras but I understand if some people do.

And if there is a halo movie centered around the chief they will need add more to the character. For the most part chief is a 1-D character and would not be that interesting on screen. I've never read the halo books though and I'm guessing it adds a bit more depth. Is the script based on the novels?

[Frogacuda]

The script for the original project was not based on the books. The one being shopped around now is.

[Advocate]

The script for the original project was not based on the books. The one being shopped around now is.
I liked both scripts.

[Luminous]

The script for the original project was not based on the books. The one being shopped around now is.


That is good to hear.

[YankeeH8er]

If this does ever get made I would like to see Alfonso Cuaron direct it. He did Children of Men and Prisoner or Azkaban, which was by far the best Harry Potter movie. His movies are dark and have an interesting visual style, both of which I think a Halo movie needs.