Denzel as Master Chief and other dubious movie rumors [update 1]

29 Comments by Christopher Grant Jul 12th 2006 3:55PM
Filed under: Culture

1. IGN Filmforce is buzzing that "Oscar winner Denzel Washington is rumored to be up for the role of "Master Chief" in Fox/Universal's film version of the Microsoft/Bungie videogame sensation Halo ... according to movie news website, Dark Horizons. IGN failed to link it (it's the internet, guys) but we managed to track it down here. It tersely declares, "Latest rumours have Denzel Washington as the favourite for Master Chief." IGN does mention (but doesn't link to) an Associated Press story about a meeting in New Zealand that ledes with, "Denzel Washington says he wants Peter Jackson to provide the special effects for a film he plans to direct, a newspaper reported Friday." So the two have met ... not a lot to go on there. What's wrong with Steve Downes, anyhow?

2. Well, if the rumor mill has its way, the Halo movie isn't coming anytime soon! According to The Movie Blog, "Don't hold your breath for a summer 2007 release date. Not having a director yet... a FULL YEAR after they announced the project is bad bad bad news no matter which way you try to spin it." Without an announced director on the project, they argue the Halo movie is going nowhere fast. Despite a report by Variety that targetted 2007 as the release date, like Halo 3 there still is no planned release date for the movie.

3. According to an amateurish looking blog dubbed The Movie Center linked to from NeoGAF, director Tim Burton has shown interest in a script based on ... Grim Fandango. Sure, this sounds like a fanboy's wet dream, but the quote presented is not only unsourced, it contains two major spelling errors! "Well, I'm currently woerking on Sweeny Todd, which will be released in mid-2007. After that, I'm gonna start working on a new script that was sent to me recently: Grim Fandango."

We ain't saying these rumors are false, just that they're skimpy. It takes a lot more than some unsourced blog postings to get our fanboy knickers in a knot.

[Via Cinematical; thanks, Evan]

[Update 1: fixed misunderstanding in rumor #2]

Read - Halo Casting Rumor (IGN)
Read - Halo in Limbo (The Movie Blog)
Read - Dia de los muertos (The Movie Center)

Tags: Denzel Washington, DenzelWashington, Grim fandango, GrimFandango, Halo, Halo Movie, HaloMovie, movie, Movies, Rumors

(Page 1) Reader Comments

LunarDuality: Jul 12th 2006; 4:04PM

As is being mentioned everywhere else this story has been reported:

Denzel as Master Chief = Unlikely
Denzel as Sgt. Johnson = Not a bad idea

Jose: Jul 12th 2006; 4:05PM

I hate Halo, but seriously, it wouldn't matter who played Master Chief as long as they had a strong voice. They should just cast James Earl Jones, or Leonard Nimoy (sp?).

Robert: Jul 12th 2006; 4:06PM

"Variety reports that 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures have closed their deal to make a movie based on Microsoft's hit video game Halo."

Ummm... couldn't this mean that it's finalized now, not canceled?

A "closed" deal seems to be the opposite of canceled. Or maybe it's just me.

Samuel McConnell: Jul 12th 2006; 4:09PM

That Variety quote was from early 2005, when the deal was confirmed. You totally just contradicted yourself.

Richard Mitchell: Jul 12th 2006; 4:10PM

Urgh, no sources anywhere. Absolutely shameless. Why can't they all be like Joystiq :)

Celestkixy: Jul 12th 2006; 4:13PM

"Variety reports that 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures have closed their deal to make a movie based on Microsoft's hit video game Halo."

I think that would mean that the deal was made, that an agreement was come to. Not that it was dropped.

Baboon: Jul 12th 2006; 4:13PM

Speaking of James Earl Jones, does it really matter who is in the suit? We shouldn't be seeing his face, so really it could be anyone, as long as they are decent at emoting. The only part that really matters is the voice.

epobirs: Jul 12th 2006; 4:22PM

I'd want a cast of native Spanish speakers for a Grim Fandango movie. Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas, for instance. It would be quite funny for people famed for their fleshly beauty to be playing as skeletal spectres throughout. But they both have the actual talent for it.

Dracula Jones: Jul 12th 2006; 4:24PM

You couldn't ask for a better movie-ready game than Grim Fandango. It's got a unique and appealing visual style, the story is completely original and highly entertaining, the characters are some of the greatest and most lovable of all time (even minor characters like Celso are fully developed)...

Damn it, I'm reinstalling it as soon as I get home. Glottis!

C. Grant: Jul 12th 2006; 4:33PM

3,6: thanks. My brain read it completely wrong for some reason. I've corrected it.

Walter: Jul 12th 2006; 4:34PM

Tim burton is one of my favorite directors and Grim Fandango is one of my favoirte games. The idea that they would join to make a movie is very exciting.

Pretty Obvious: Jul 12th 2006; 4:59PM

Seeing how Master Chief doesnt take his helmet off, I'd be dissapointed if the guy who did his voice in the game didnt do it here.

and BTW

"Denzel as Sgt. Johnson = Not a bad idea"

but

Samuel Jackson as Sgt. Johnson = Perfect

Spoon: Jul 12th 2006; 5:24PM

I haven't play much Halo, but I was always under the impression that Master Chief doesn't talk. So casting him in this part wouldn't make much more sense than when George Clooney did the voice of a dog in South Park.

Either way, I'll se anything with Denzel Washington in it. I loves me some Denzel.

Capt. Castellanos: Jul 12th 2006; 5:33PM

Tim Burton.
that guy is my favorite director.

Grim Fandango.
that game was so much fun.

i really hope this isn't just a rumor.
i'm getting my hopes up too high for dissapointmnt.

Jim: Jul 12th 2006; 5:35PM

TIM BURTON'S GRIM FANDANGO

woah, that movie could seriously rock.

The3rdNuisance: Jul 12th 2006; 5:45PM

Why Denzel Washington? Halo has a sword, I say Wesley Snipes!

Baboon: Jul 12th 2006; 5:52PM

-Spoon
No, MC talks. We just never seen his ugly mug.

WedgeTalon: Jul 12th 2006; 5:55PM

Jim - I agree. Tim Burton would be perfect to do Grim Fandango. I would go see it. (But I won't be seeing any movie Uwe does. Blegh)

Ryan Williams: Jul 12th 2006; 6:07PM

Tim Schafer himself doesn't know anything about this Grim Fandango movie, so it can probably be safely assumed that ol' The Movie Center is a crock of shank.

gothsquirrel: Jul 12th 2006; 6:11PM

Even putting this out as a rumor just seems like a bad joke. I agree with LunarDuality. If they are casting Denzel as Sgt. Johnson that would be cool not as cool as Samual L Jackson but still a good pick. But if they want a good movie get the guy that did the voice in the games and throw an extra in a suit. Why A: Throw an A List actor in a suit for the whole movie and B: Why would they get someone that sounds no where like the Master Chief of the games.

saidnamyzO: Jul 12th 2006; 6:13PM

I still vote for the darth vader method. use the current voice and let a big guy wear the suit.

Brad Lee: Jul 12th 2006; 8:51PM

"But if they want a good movie get the guy that did the voice in the games and throw an extra in a suit."

I absolutely agree. The only reason someone like Denzel Washington would be cast for something like this is just for the star-appeal, so in the trailers it can say "Denzel Washington as Master Chief." But if they want to please fans of the games (which they should, because that would be where the money would come from) they should just use the original voice with some guy in the suit.

I actually think Denzel wouldn't be too bad as Master Chief. He is good with the badass roles. But using the original voice actor with an extra in the suit would just make much more sense.

And as for Grim Fandango, I never played it, but just looking at the picture seems like something Tim Burton would do. Also, I think Johnny Depp should be cast in it somewhere, he has a way of making incredibly weird parts seem believable.

LilBlackDemon: Jul 13th 2006; 11:01AM

Sweeny Todd is spelled correctly. It's the name of a play that Burton is adapting into a movie.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408236/

Tony: Jul 13th 2006; 12:12PM

Forget Halo, Grim Fandango will be the better movie.

I really wish more people would play Grim Fandango. It's such an overlooked classic.

Come on LucasArts, rerelease it!

Linkgcn4: Jul 13th 2006; 1:31PM

The voice for Master Chief should be David Hayter, no question. He did the voice for Solid Snake, and was great. Anyone agree with me?

makeseven: Jul 14th 2006; 8:04PM

well...since we havent seen the face of maste cheif in the games, im not sure the movie should show it unless we get to see it in halo 3.

but if we dont see the face, then i think it should use the voice of the guy that did the part on the games. i COMPLETELEY agree that it should be him.

i mean...even if they DID show the face, it could still be him.

darth vadar?(course his voice was through a weird resonator thingermajig, but still...)

darth maul? ya...that wasnt ray park's voice, that was somebody else. it would work fine.

but i dont think we should see the face. it should be like the game and us not know what he looks like, and use the game's voice actor.

makeseven: Jul 14th 2006; 8:05PM

oh, and i actually WOULD like to see denzel in this.

so i too like the idea of him as Sgt. Johnson. that would be sweet.

Andrew: Jul 15th 2006; 5:15PM

#23 - Sweeny is NOT spelled correctly and in fact you linked directly to a page that spells it correctly. Sweeney's got a second e in it :)

Nick: Jul 17th 2006; 2:37PM

Isn't The Movie Center actually quoting the article published on Entertainment Now about a two weeks ago?
www.entertainmentnow.4t.com

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