View Full Version : 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."
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?
http://www.news4gamers.com/ClickOut.aspx?ObjID=12705
Martin_Flores
20 Oct 06, 08:43
it would have been crap anyway you all know it
Not with Peter Jackson and Universal Studios it wouldn't have I don't believe.
Martin_Flores
20 Oct 06, 09:00
well most game to film coversions (sp?) dont go well
I agree...but I think it would have been decent. I enjoyed the first Mortal Kombat movie...the first Tomb Raider movie and I loved Advent Children...so it can be done somewhat.
Martin_Flores
20 Oct 06, 09:03
yea but I hated the way they did DOOM why use the Rock why god why
kaytronika
20 Oct 06, 09:08
Because Doom was a no brainer game so he fitted the roll perfectly.
I was looking forward to a Halo film and Alive in Joburg is really good.
lol, imagine if sony came in to save the film .:p
i would have liked to see halo be turned into a film but it was always going to be expensive, to many special eftects
Adamaniac 791
20 Oct 06, 09:50
All this talk of game to movie conversions being sucktackular really makes me worried about the MGS movie. :dead: I would rather Hideo Kojima didn't bother with it and kept MGS out of the world of movies.
I think the desire to make a movie out of a video game is enough reason for the people involved to be stopped from doing it. It never works and the Halo francise would have been damaged. Keep it to games and imagination.
Im dreading the MGS movies already adam...:( I wish they scraped the whole actor thing and did it in hi-res game style. I dont see the point anyway tbh i mean the games pratically a movie in its own rights and one of the best "movie" i have seen.
Adamaniac 791
20 Oct 06, 18:03
Yeah, if they did the movie in CG with the proper voice actors from the games and was handled entirely by Kojima Productions and Hideo himself it would be pretty damn good. Still, if it was good the fans would be annoyed that they didn't just make it into a game instead.
Oh and I agree with Pagnell about films of games not really working.
ScorelessCoasts
20 Oct 06, 19:53
First halo related thing im gonna 'hate'.
O dear lord let peter jackson take over :S
Sad.. we can now only hope
kaytronika
20 Oct 06, 20:30
I'd like to see Chuloopa's take on the Halo movie myself... Although I'd be worried that he'd focus on Master Chief porn and ignore some of the more subtle plotlines.
It appears that Microsoft are going to fund the movie now;
Microsoft Corp. plans to finance a movie based on its popular video
game "Halo" after Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox backed out of the project.
The two studios cut their ties to "Halo" because of costs associated with the movie, which had a preliminary budget of $145 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The studios also failed to persuade the filmmakers to renegotiate their contracts, the newspaper said.
"We are disappointed that Universal wanted to significantly renegotiate the financial points of the deal," Microsoft said in a statement Friday. "We are already in discussions with potential partners who recognize the value of the 'Halo' brand."
Fox and Universal also had been in a power struggle over the movie's control, the Times said. The studios refused to comment.
The movie -- a large production replete with complicated special effects -- is scheduled for a summer 2008 release.
United Press International.
http://www.andnetwork.com/index?service=direct/0/Home/recent.titleStory&sp=l54086
And it's dead again :D
http://www.cinematical.com/2006/10/31/halo-officially-halted-by-jackson-and-microsoft/
Halo Officially Halted by Jackson and Microsoft
Posted Oct 31st 2006 8:30AM by Chris Ullrich
As Kevin previously reported, both Universal Studios and 20th Century Fox recently pulled out of their commitment to co-finance the big-screen adaptation of the hugely popular Halo video game, citing concerns over a rising budget and novice director Neil Boekamp. Even though both studios dropped out, Halo developer Microsoft and Executive Producer Peter Jackson, through a statement made by his agent, expressed optimism that the film would eventually find new backers and still be made. Because of this, pre-production work on the film would continue until those backers were secured and the film could move forward with its new financing.
Apparently, their patience with the "looking for new backers" process was short-lived because according to a joint statement made today by Peter Jackson's Wingnut Films and Microsoft, pre-production on Halo is being officially and immediately halted. According to the statement:
"As was previously confirmed, we deeply regret that both Universal and Fox did not choose to move forward with financing the Halo film under the original terms of the agreement. At this time Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, along with their partner, Microsoft, have mutually agreed to postpone making a feature film based on the Halo video game universe until we can fulfill the promise we made to millions of Halo fans throughout the world that we would settle for no less than bringing a first class film to the big screen. We are fully supportive of Director Neill Blomkamp's vision of the film. Neill is a tremendously gifted filmmaker and his preliminary work on Halo is truly awe-inspiring. While it will undoubtedly take a little longer for Halo to reach the big screen, we are confident that the final feature film will be well worth the wait."
That's a nice thought and I'm glad they're so confident. But now that two studios have pulled out and production has been officially halted, it seems like it will take even more effort to get things going again -- even if they do eventually secure financing. I trust Peter Jackson and if he says the Halo movie will eventually happen, then I guess it might.
Still, with all the trouble the Halo movie has had before it ever really got going, maybe its time to put the project to rest for good. After all, movies adapted from video games seldom perform very well at the box office (or in the minds of critics) and more than likely Halo would face the same fate. Like it or not, its hard to live up to so much hype; as much as fans might want the movie to happen, it would still be a huge gamble for any backer choosing to finance the film at this point. Besides, sometimes it's just better to cut your losses and move on.
What say you? Should the Halo movie live or die?
Im sure Bill Gates could afford to fund it himself :p
Ahh Well, I'd forgot about this anyway....
.MystiKal
31 Oct 06, 11:53
A few days ago I read these two movie companies were pulling out but it was still going ahead. I believe it will though. If Peter Jackson does direct it and they put so much money in it, it will definately do good.
blakedaking
31 Oct 06, 12:33
it would be hard for a Halo movie to live up to the hype and it is very true that movies based on videos games dont do good at all. But i wouldnt want some half-ass movie, halo would have to be an epic with a killer script to do good, not to mention a big budget for special effects and costumes among many other things.
imo, video game based films dont get a big budget or time etc. with peter jackson imagine how epic Halo would be. :p too bad it isnt happening now. :(
thegamerman
31 Oct 06, 13:37
they should do a film adaptation of the fall of reach. Such an amazing book then they should follow it up with 'first strike' no one really wants a movie of the game, that'd be boring. Also it should b CG cos then they could use the original voice actors.
lack of funding? come on...... Bill has way to much money to begin with he wont miss 200million
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