Update on Denzel Washington Halo Rumors

[Mdot23]

Updating a previous topic regarding Denzel Washington playing the Chief in the upcoming Halo movie, Ain't It Cool News (http://www.aintitcool.com) is reporting that it may have been a big misunderstanding...

Last week, I made mention of the fact that Denzel Washington was in NZ to discuss Weta doing the effects for his next directorial outing (THE GREAT DEBATERS), and wasn't there for any Master Chief-related casting discussions. A few days later, the rumours started doing the rounds that he was, in fact, there to talk to Peter Jackson about starring in HALO. Now, I should point out that I don't have any definitive proof that Washington won't be in HALO, but I do know the following points: (a) I spoke to someone who saw first-hand Washington hanging out with Richard Taylor at the Park Road post-production facilities; (b) the Weta design team doesn't have much to do on HALO at the moment because Bungie is in control of the design elements; and (c) point b is important because the Master Chief will not be removing his helmet at any point during the film...cont (http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23864).
For the rest of the story, follow this link (http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=23864).

So the Chief isn't removing is helmet after all, huh? Personally, this is good to hear.

[taxial]

No taking off his helmet! So good to hear!!!!! - thank you thank you thank you - !!!!!!

[Zanzibar]

I posted this in the "Halo Script 2nd Draft" thread; I saw it somewhere that he was meeting with Jackson about a movie Denzel is going to DIRECT. Couldn't he direct Halo?

EDIT: Here's the AP/Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063000494.html) that has a blurb from Denzel about it.

[Heretic Machine]

I still say that the voice actor from the game would be fine and dandy to play the Chief. Put Kane Hodder in the suit, and let Steve Downes do the voice.

[Raziel]

Denzel should play Sgt. Johnson!

[Heretic Machine]

Denzel should play Sgt. Johnson!

If you think anyone except Samuel L. Jackson will be playing the sarge, you're insane.

[SexualChoc]

I think we can now guarantee that Denzel will not play the Chief. With the Chief not removing his helmet, there would be no other reason for him to be in the movie other than Johnson. And I'm hoping Jackson gets that. But Denzel would be second choice.

[bapenguin]

Excellent news about the Helmet.

Samuel L as Sgt Johnson?

"We got snakes on the mother fucking Halo!"

[Raziel]

Well if he was going to be cast in the movie, he'd be better there than as the Master Chief, no?

[SexualChoc]

Excellent news about the Helmet.

Samuel L as Sgt Johnson?

"We got snakes on the mother fucking Halo!"

I was thinking more 'We got Grunts on the mother fucking Pelican!'

[Mdot23]

I was thinking more 'We got Grunts on the mother fucking Pelican!'


hahaha. excellent call. "i got a plasma stuck on my motherfucking face!"

[cppcrusader]

If you think anyone except Samuel L. Jackson will be playing the sarge, you're insane.

Actually I think Keith David would be the better choice. Sgt. Johnson was more of a grizzled, gruff old soldier who'd seen a lot of combat. Its more up his alley. Samuel L. Jackson's a badass, but grizzled he ain't.

[Heretic Machine]

"We got flood, on my mother-fucking face!"

EDIT: Someone beat me, to my mother-fucking joke!

[Xerxes]

If you think anyone except Samuel L. Jackson will be playing the sarge, you're insane.

"Why the fuck is everyone a motherfucking comedian making fun of me being in this motherfucking movie. DAMN."

[The-Builder]

The grunts in Halo should at least be the same level of badasses as the marines from Aliens.

[Knite]

"Chief! This here is the BR-55 Battle Rifle. When you absolutely, positively must kill every motherfucking Covenant in the room, accept no substitue."

[Wyrm]

Have you seen my movies?? A fuckin' flood fucked my face!

[Zanzibar]

"Hand me my Sniper Rifle. It's the one that says 'Bad Mother Fucker' on it."

[thecrazyd]

I haven't played all that much Halo, so this may be blatant, but why is it so important that MC keeps the helmet on?

[Knite]

I haven't played all that much Halo, so this may be blatant, but why is it so important that MC keeps the helmet on?

I personally couldn't care, but I think a lot of the whole "keep the helmet on" thing is because in the games, you NEVER see him with his helmet off. He's an anonymous superman basically. Even in the 1 or 2 scenes where the Chief isn't wearing his helmet, there's something strategically blocking view of his face.

[Zanzibar]

I haven't played all that much Halo, so this may be blatant, but why is it so important that MC keeps the helmet on?
Well, just because they've made a point of not showing us what he looks like. It's the anti-Darth Vader approach. I mean, how much respect did you lose for Vader in ROTJ when his helmet came off and he was a wrinkled old man? He'll never live up to people's imaginations, so you might as well not try.

[Lord Nerdious]

Wouldn't Orlando Jones be the best sarge? Seeing as he voiced the character? Just a little make-up here, a little digital enhancement there and bingo.

[Heretic Machine]

Wouldn't Orlando Jones be the best sarge? Seeing as he voiced the character? Just a little make-up here, a little digital enhancement there and bingo.

Orlando Jones looks nothing like Sarge though... He is way too young.

[Lord Nerdious]

Yea well Anthony Hopkins was way to old for Red Dragon and look how that turned out.

[Mdot23]

Wouldn't Orlando Jones be the best sarge? Seeing as he voiced the character? Just a little make-up here, a little digital enhancement there and bingo.

David Scully voiced Sarge. Orlando Jones just did extra voice for marines and such.

[Lord Nerdious]

Oh.... my bad....

So.... on with the spankings?

[Mdot23]

haha. he did have some pretty funny lines throughout the game though.

[Silk]

I think they should get the original guy from Aliens 2 to play sarge. Thats obviously who he's based on.

[Deadend]

I kinda think the MC has to be CG, as he is about 8 feet tall, 500 lbs in armor and can flip over a jeep.

So who plays Cortana?

[Raziel]

So who plays Cortana?

Well obviously some chick who looks hot in spandex/circuitry clothing. ;)

[dimsumx]

Forget Sam L. Jackson...Ving Rhames Sgt. Johnson FTW!!

[Nonentity]

Didn't David Cross do some voices for some of the marines? I distinctly remember hearing that familiar voice.

[Xerxes]

I thought he was only like 7ft tall?

[Vermillion]

The path of the righteous soldier is beset on all sides by the inequities of the Convenent and the tyranny of the Flood. Blessed is he who, in the name of death and shit, shepherds the weak through the giant goddamned ring in the sky. For he is truly his brother's dead nigg' storage and the finder of the royale with cheese. And I will blow mother f'in Marvin's head off with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to use pistols as sniper weapons or shocklances to jump across the room. And you will know I am the Master Mother F'in Chief when I lay my big black hand of vengence upon you."

[SexualChoc]

I thought he was only like 7ft tall?

In MJOLNIR I think he is 8ft, but he is about 6'5 regular.

[thecrazyd]

The armor makes him 1.5 feet taller? No way.

[SexualChoc]

Checking the wiki has him at 7 feet and half a ton in MJOLNIR. But I know it adds several inches in MJOLNIR. Perhaps not a foot and half, but several inches anyway.

[Deathbane27]

Sgt. Johnson's a good question, but for the Master Chief and Cortana they should definately use a motion-actor and CG, respectively, and keep the original voice actors.

Of course, this all assumes that the movie features these characters at all. It could be a side story about the other spartans from the books for all we know.

*drifts off into a dream about Jewel Staite as Spartan 058 Linda*

[SexualChoc]

Sgt. Johnson's a good question, but for the Master Chief and Cortana they should definately use a motion-actor and CG, respectively, and keep the original voice actors.

Of course, this all assumes that the movie features these characters at all. It could be a side story about the other spartans from the books for all we know.

*drifts off into a dream about Jewel Staite as Spartan 058 Linda*

Be still my heart. But she would be all pale. And I think maybe bald. Not so good now eh?

[Deathbane27]

Jewel is pale enough to play the role as it is. And according to the books, Linda's hair is cropped short but still there. And it's red. *drool*

[F3nyx]

The grunts in Halo should at least be the same level of badasses as the marines from Aliens.I'm just hoping that they don't speak Looney Tunes English like in the games.

Well obviously some chick who looks hot in spandex/circuitry clothing. ;)Spandex/circuitry clothing, eh? Tron Guy (http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Tron%20Guy) is probably being cast as we speak.

[Wildfirexk1]

If Bungie knows what they're doing, then they will most definately have the MC in his armor with the original voice actor. Hell, get the Nightmare Armor guys to do it, they've already got the experience. Cortana is supposed to be CG anyways, since she's a bloody hologram, so if they do anything other than that, I will be greatly dissapointed.

Of course, this all assumes that the movie features these characters at all. It could be a side story about the other spartans from the books for all we know.

*drifts off into a dream about Jewel Staite as Spartan 058 Linda*

An interesting idea. I'd definately want to see it. The problem you'd run into, though, is the same thing you run into with the Arbitor. People sign up for the MC. He's familiar. They went through a game and a half with them. Putting the other Spartans in would confuse a lot of people, because many still haven't read the books (which is a shame, since Eric Nylund's books are AWESOME), so they would be confused by the presence of multiple Spartan's.

Also, I'd rather see what happens with Kelly and Dr. Halsey. That would be cool as hell, IMO.

Jewel is pale enough to play the role as it is. And according to the books, Linda's hair is cropped short but still there. And it's red. *drool*

I dunno. Their supposed to be really, really pale. Almost corpse pale. Doesn't sound very sexy to me.

As a final word, what I would REALLY love to see, but will never happen, is the Ilovebees storyline turned into a movie. You could avoid a lot of the pitfalls associated with bringing characters that you've seen to life. Again, though, you run into the Arbitor Problem of people not being familiar with them. Ah well.

[Heretic Machine]

I kinda think the MC has to be CG, as he is about 8 feet tall, 500 lbs in armor and can flip over a jeep.

So who plays Cortana?

They just need to make him taller, it's the same tech as they used in LOTR.

[Xerxes]

They just need to make him taller, it's the same tech as they used in LOTR.

Or film at angles like in the Green Mile. He looked taller in some scenes but like Tom Hanks and the guy from the show Hack are tall dudes as well next to Duncan.