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."
Come on Variety, you can't even spell Bungie right?
What do you think? Should Master Chief drive his warthog out of Hollywood, or come back with both barrels blasting?
More Halo movie news on Joystiq:
So, you want to make a Halo movie?
Script for Halo movie leaked and reviewed?
Jackson talks about Halo film
_thumbnail.jpg "i am 8-bit: 2008")
(Page 1) Reader Comments
Reply
On a more serious note, I would still say the Halo movie has potential, but it might need a bit more fleshing out of the story background. But I do not think that MC should play a starring role, considering that Halo 3 is apparently his last game. Perhaps a newcomer to the scene, which will help transistion Halo 1-3 with the rest of the presumely complex Halo world?
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Side tracking, its a real shame, I was starting to become convinced this would be pretty good, all to be utterly thrown out of the window.
Reply
Reply
(Seriously.. I can't imagine a Halo movie being any better than Starship Troopers.)
I also realize I'm probably going to get heavily flamed for that. But it's the truthiness of the matter.
Reply
Reply
Microsoft was not going to finance the movie. They were expecting two studios to do it. Two studios because in this day and age movies are an extremely risky financial proposition and in Hollywood these days the perception and meme being pushed by studio execs this year is that talent costs have become too high, and they're playing hardball right back.
Jim Carrey has had two enormous features shut down, along with Ben Stiller - arguably two of the most bankable stars around. Tom Cruise - even before public nutbaggery displays - had to agree to concessions to get MI3 made.
For Universal, King Kong did not perform where expectations led it to, and on that one they gave Jackson free reign. And despite that cute public Hobbit image, Jackson is as nasty and downright dirty when it comes to looking after himself and his backend. I don't mean this as an insult.
Understandably in Hollywood, having Blokamp come aboard as director was a really bad choice. First time feature director getting their hands on a budget that large must've made the two studios balk, especially as Jackson couldn't get an A list director to do it. For all those rumors of Ridley Scott, let's face it - Halo wouldn't exist without Alien and Aliens (more so Aliens from an aesthetic point of view).
Funny to think, however, that seeing Aliens as a kid in theaters led to me working in films today. That was so long ago and I feel old. I wonder if I would've had the same epiphany being 12 years old, never having seen Aliens, and playing Halo and devoted myself to games.
Ever since Blokamp was announced I have been expecting this news. Risky, bold choice - but directors like him always have problems first time directing actors, and if major studios are going to shut down movies with the biggest stars around due to escalating costs, you can rest assured they'll do the same on a $200 million action picture with a first time director. This is a direct salvo to companies like Microsoft - don't bring us your IP and expect to gain so enormously from our financial risk.
Now let's see if MS have the balls to finance it themselves.
Reply
- http://halomovie.trivialbeing.net
Reply
Or are they just hoping that the movie studios will pay for it all while they sit back and take in all the cash that comes out of it.
My beleifs in the Halo movie are rather quickly dropping.
Reply
Reply
While Halo games are fun to play, the Master Chief is weak character at best and the overall content of it IP probably wouldn't have translated well to screen anyways.
Reply
Despite this, I still believe Blomkamp is/will be an amazing director. He seems to thrive on an extremely limited budget (at least what appears to be limited), and I would much rather watch something by him that is his own vision as opposed to someone elses concept that is interpreted by him.
Just make sure Neil Blomkamp doesnt get a budget over $25 dollars, and I am sure it will be amazing!
Reply
Now maybe this means I won't have to wait a DECADE for the Evangelion movies.
Reply
Reply
He has like 10 different Videogame movies under his belt.
Reply
Reply
To be honest, I seriously doubt that even with the financing the Halo movie would have been as good as King Kong let alone LOTR, its not the sort of movie that can appeal to all audiences, LOTR was based off a book and therefore had a more stuctured storyline, just just eh "Defeat the aliens" cliche all over again.
The fact that Master Chief was to feature in it most likely and running around like Commando would make it even more like those one man army films, don't we just hate that? I may have revelutionised game based films, but other then that, it would not have compared to the likes of Star Wars, saying that, I had no doubt it would be a better then average movie.
Reply
[tap tap tap beep!] "We're in!"
"It's ok! Forget about me! You have to go on without me!"
"Who's going to save the Earth now?"
"I may only be a woman, damn it, but I want to *fight*!"
"They're...they're everywhere! *We have to get out of here!*" [Explosion, sparks, flickering lights]
I'm not at all sad that we have been deprived the above cheesetacular lines. No, they weren't in the leaked script, but I guarantee that they would have found their way into the final cut.
Reply
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1845016404760165806
That video was fantastic! Hm...
Reply
Reply
Reply
halo if handled right was always a no brainer ,and with MS and peter jackson being in bed with each other lately everything looked rosy.
just cough up the cash yourself MS , buy peter a studio then your all good and ready for the gears of war movie to :P
as for Neil Blomkamp as directer , i thought it was a very bold move for a movie of this size , thats not to say it wasnt a smart one tho , guys got talent.
Reply
Reply
Reply
The first Halo game would NOT have made an enjoyable film, for filmgoers or for Halo fans. The average movie patron would not be impressed by one-on-one gun battles through the same damn corridor again and again for two hours, while Halo fans have already PLAYED the lead role in Halo. Come on Microsoft, give us something new. Something from the novels, maaybe, like Master Chief's first encounter with the Covenant, or - for ultimate corporate synergy - a movie that takes place in the interim between Halo 2 and Halo 3, released shortly before the third game comes out, with the final shot in the film being the first scene in H3's opening cinematic (although I'd guess that they've already missed this timeframe.)
Reply
As for those who are saying that any "smart" studio is going to jump right in and take the reigns because it's a "guaranteed hit" and a "cash cow". If that's such a given than why did they have so much trouble finding a studio in the first place? Just because the game has sold a ton of copies doesn't directly translate into box office receipts, if that was the case we'd be on our 15th Madden Movie Sequel by now.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
You don't see a MGS movie or a Zelda movie in production, at least if MS funds this one it still has much hope of shushing most of the bitchers.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Plus, if they did make it, it would be HORRIBLE! Metal Gear Solida might not be that bad but still be a long shot!
And I have played both halos, beaten Halo one on legendary and i saw nothing advanced about the AI, just stronger shields and weapons. it is overrated! trust me and I am not the only one who thinks it.
Reply
Reply
Reply
MS should do what Marvel is doing and build their own studio .. that should work out? LOL
Reply
Now that is the most ridiculous post i've read in a long time and that's saying something! Star Wars has mass appeal to people of all ages, Halo is for sci-fi fans and XBox gamers and that's it. It's a labour of love for Jackson as he's a big fan of the game, although there are plenty of gamers who adore Halo there's also plenty who can't stand it or FPS games in general. Remember the Final Fantasy movie bombed and that series of games has sold multi millions over the years and still does.
If huge game sales = huge movie ticket sales then Grand Theft Auto the movie would already be in production.
Reply
Last thing I want to see is action star of the week ending up in a Halo adaptation....
Reply
Besides, Peter Jackson is the new George Lucas, prone to excess once given free reign, but unfortunately for Jackson his Wignut Films doesn't have the financial independance of Lucasfilm. It's best for him to have tough studios and producers that keep his "ambition" in check; I know it would have done Lucas a world of good on his Star Wars prequels. And finally, I also don't think Halo has the mass appeal of a 200 mil movie, it sure isn't Star Wars, or even the prequels. It's a fine backdrop for a shooting game, but there's no story there to adapt to film. A Halo movie would be Advent Children-type fan service, so maybe it's best that it also goes animated and straight to video.
Reply
I played through Halo on my PC, online multiplayer and through single player. I also played some of Halo 2 with my nephew. I didn't like it, not just the gameplay (which sucked but while the story has some potential, it doesn't go anywhere.
Oh and LOL at 27. right...
Reply