Halo Movie Not Quite Dead Yet

[Bone]

This shouldn't surprise many people here, but the Halo movie is still far from dead as reported by CVG (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=174687):

Following a swift withdrawal by film studios Fox and Universal, Microsoft is already in talks with other distribution projects to continue development of the Halo film, says Peter Jackson's representative Ken Kamins.

Prep work on the Halo film continues, Kamins tells Variety, mostly thanks to the involvement of exec producers Jackson and Walsh. Most of the pre-production is being done at their visual effects studios in New Zealand, Weta Digital and Weta Workshop, so there will be no stalling.

Thanks to Computer and Video Games (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/).

It's a long shot, making a movie about a game that nobody knows about, but I have the feeling those crazy kids will do alright.

[Chaos Machine]

universal and fox are going to be PISSED they stepped off the money train early





edited for brainfarts

[NationalKato]

How does this project not equal $$$ in studio's eyes? Peter Jackson, Halo, WETA...it's like a producer's coke-fueled wet dream. What am I missing?

[Mdot23]

Just do it already. I'll start lining up now.

[Ancalagon]

Basically, they said that in order to move forward with the film, the filmmakers had to significantly reduce their deals.

Movie industry: "But, but, but... Its piracy! Yes piracy is killing us! No its not piracy, its Apple! Yes Apple is offering good deals, I mean encouraging piracy, which is funded by TERRORISTS! Yes, when you pirate a movie, you support terrorism!"

Of course, we all know the truth is just that they are greedy.

[bapenguin]

It's not like MS doesn't have the money, find a good independent studio to help back it for distribution. Something like Lionsgate.

[AeroHudson]

With Fran and Pete at the helm there is no way that this film can be bad. If anyone can do the film and the universe justice it's Weta and Pete. Sign me up!

[boratika]

The chances of the Halo movie actually being made, then in turn making a mint, seem to me about likely as the DS being popular in Japan.

[Johan]

I already finished the fight. Time to move on.

[Durka-Dan]

I already finished the fight. Time to move on.

Seriously. What are the chances of it being good? The track record for game-movies isn't too great. I see this purely as a money maker as they will make millions whether it's good or bad. I bet half the people here would still go see it if it were horrible just to see how bad it is. Is there a technical term for a company that makes products that ride purely on fanbase as much as they are doing with Halo? [insert Sony joke :D]

[jamaicanrage]

I want to say that I wouldn't be there opening night to see it. That, however, would be a blatant lie.

[Adam Blue]

Seriously. What are the chances of it being good? The track record for game-movies isn't too great. I see this purely as a money maker as they will make millions whether it's good or bad. I bet half the people here would still go see it if it were horrible just to see how bad it is. Is there a technical term for a company that makes products that ride purely on fanbase as much as they are doing with Halo? [insert Sony joke :D]

Considering studios back out because they want creative control makes me believe this will be legendary...

The only good thing to come out of studio control is...nothing.

[Thumper]

How does this project not equal $$$ in studio's eyes? Peter Jackson, Halo, WETA...it's like a producer's coke-fueled wet dream. What am I missing?

Sure seems that way to me. Especially since Halo 3 left SO MANY GODDAMN plot points unresolved. :mad:
I don't know if plot details for a movie have been released, but it seems to me that they have more than enough material in the universe to make a feature film.

[Yeti2005]

Seriously. What are the chances of it being good?

The chances are probably as good as someone making a movie trilogy based off a beloved fantasy trilogy written by Tolkien.

[Ancalagon]

Considering studios back out because they want creative control makes me believe this will be legendary...

The only good thing to come out of studio control is...nothing.

This unfortunately is very true.

People make movies. Studios make fresh steaming piles of crap.

[Zanzibar]

The studios want to be able to adjust the script and have freedom to make modifications so that they can perhaps attach a real star as Master Chief, which means taking off the helmet. Bungie says 'fuck no,' and Microsoft is backing them up.

[MelbaToast]

The studios want to be able to adjust the script and have freedom to make modifications so that they can perhaps attach a real star as Master Chief, which means taking off the helmet. Bungie says 'fuck no,' and Microsoft is backing them up.

And I am very, very thankful for that

[Ancalagon]

The studios want to be able to adjust the script and have freedom to make modifications so that they can perhaps attach a real star as Master Chief, which means taking off the helmet. Bungie says 'fuck no,' and Microsoft is backing them up.

They want a token minority actor to say things like "Shit!", "Thats wack".

Possibly also used as a humorous counterpart to the serious covenant.

And other movie cliches. Makes me think of the recent south park episode, where Michael Bay confuses ideas with special effects.

[captainstrombosis]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$


How can the executives not see that any time Halo is mentioned?

[Roc Ingersol]

How does this project not equal $$$ in studio's eyes? Peter Jackson, Halo, WETA...it's like a producer's coke-fueled wet dream. What am I missing?The part where they see this project equalling $$$$$$$$ -- so they want a larger slice. If they thought the project didn't equal $$$ they'd have never signed on to finance/distribute in the first place. This is basically just the kind of bullshit 'negotiation' that town is infamous for.

The studios signed a deal that gives them an exclusive window to distribute - and then they held up Weta/MS/Bungie in the wild for more money. They hoped that perhaps MS/Bungie/Weta would cave and do the project with the new studio terms rather than risk production stall and the property 'cooling down'.

Bummer for the studios that Halo3 hit like the Tunguska blast of 1908. Their deal is going to lapse long before the rest of the town loses interest in the Halo property.

[Xerxes]

I can easily see a blind $200 Million from a Halo movie. Gusy it up to a trilogy like Hollywood likes, and thats a smooth $700 Million. I mean thats counting the youth and gamers. Not the sci fi geeks out there. I mean my uncle doesn't game but you got a super solider fighting a holy war with aliens on a space station that's like earth, and he's there. Hell, he even watches sci-fi originals sometimes. Not counting the money to be made of DVD. Hell, if I was Toshiba I'd put some money on it too get it on the HD-DVD exclusively.

MS really should just get there own movie studios. If they did it a long time ago, they could of had the Gears movie as well. Get them a up and coming big fancy name as the director or producer as the face or figurehead. <shrug>

[Xerxes]

And other movie cliches. Makes me think of the recent south park episode, where Michael Bay confuses ideas with special effects.
Or M Night Shamylan's confusion of ideas and stories as plot twist. I hope they just cancel the Avatar live action movie.

[Chaos Machine]

woops, was trying to edit not quote myself

[midrael]

Or M Night Shamylan's confusion of ideas and stories as plot twist. I hope they just cancel the Avatar live action movie.

Isn't Avatar being directed by James Cameron?

[Xerxes]

Isn't Avatar being directed by James Cameron?

That's the problem. It's 2 Avatars. Cameron has a futuristic something in the works, and M Night wants to do a live action Avatar: The Last Airbender. I say leave the Avatar on his cartoon medium. He's excellent there.

[Edmontongamer]

I got an idea. Make a deal with sony pictures lol.

[midrael]

That's the problem. It's 2 Avatars. Cameron has a futuristic something in the works, and M Night wants to do a live action Avatar: The Last Airbender. I say leave the Avatar on his cartoon medium. He's excellent there.

Ooooh, Avatar: The Last Airbender.. by M. Night? Ick. For some reason, that just doesn't sound right.

I got an idea. Make a deal with sony pictures lol.

The mind reels! :eek:

[ZeroType]

I got an idea. Make a deal with sony pictures lol.

Heh, I wonder, will there be a Blue Ray release? Lol

[Durka-Dan]

I can easily see a blind $200 Million from a Halo movie.

Agreed. Which makes me wonder if they really should put any effort into it. They could film a dog humping someone's leg, play it back in slow motion so it reaches about an hour and a half, call it Halo 3, and they'd still probably make the same if they spent billions on it. Just like the game. Heyo! (I kid, I kid..)

[BuddyC]

Turns out the source for CVG's news item was outdated and the movie is still postponed.

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/49692

[Durka-Dan]

Variety's story was originally posted over a year ago, on October 19, 2006. At the time, numerous sites, Shacknews included, reported on the news that Universal and Fox had backed out of the project, allegedly due to budget concerns.

Sheesh. I'd say. Over a year. tsk tsk. Will nobody donate their time to EvAv to research submitted news sources?

[midrael]

Sheesh. I'd say. Over a year. tsk tsk. Will nobody donate their time to EvAv to research submitted news sources?

In defense of the submitter, I also saw a similar article on Ain't It Cool News this morning regarding a possible resurgence in interest about a Halo movie. That AICN article was also referencing this same article.

[Xerxes]

Agreed. Which makes me wonder if they really should put any effort into it. They could film a dog humping someone's leg, play it back in slow motion so it reaches about an hour and a half, call it Halo 3, and they'd still probably make the same if they spent billions on it. Just like the game. Heyo! (I kid, I kid..)

The guy they chose to direct it seemed like he wouldn't have wasted much money actually. Nice gritty, in your face war with the covenant.

[Bone]

Ouch. I did check a few sites before I submitted this, saw it on CVG, AICN and a few others, but still... I apologize!

[xplics]

universal and fox are going to be PISSED they stepped off the money train early





edited for brainfarts

Yeah really, if any movie makes sense to make it would be Halo, there are some games to movies with lack of hype that are created and end up sucking. If Halo ends up sucking at least the movie companys would know they can make a fast buck on name sake alone. However here is hopeing Halo 3 very much does not suck at all.:)

[Oblivion]

just employ The legendary pictures guys already. 300, batman begins, superman returns...