by the fans for the fans

Ok Unless you have been liveing under a rock for the past several years you know about the Halo series. It's the highly popular game that is the mainstay for Microsoft's X-Box gameing system. The involving story line and intense game play has allowed it to expand into a three games series with a RTS in development by now independent Bungee Studio's.

After it's initial success Alex Garland was paid $1 million by Microsoft to write an adaptation of the game. I bought and read them all and have to admit they were really really good. IMO.

About a year or two ago rumors began to hit the web of a possible film adaptation of Halo. Microsoft had sold rights to a studio and there were even props made courtasy of Weta. Several Short films were shot that had a dual purpose. Rookie director Neil Blomkamp directed several short films that were to be used in the third installment of the Halo Game series. But they were also used as screen tests to see how a possible Halo movie might look and if Mr. Blomkamp could pull this off.

Even with the success of the game and a few more rumors the information stopped flowing out. It looked like the Halo movie was another dead topic. However once again Microsoft has proven through it's tenacity (and deep...deep wallets) you can't count them out ever. The film is still kicking to this day.

April 2nd, 2008, posted by FofR | Digg

This Latino Review got the scoop on this little gem - all news is good news for the Halo Movie, which is currently on hiatus. This has been announced on April fool’s day - so be wary. Though they do boldly say “this is not an April fool’s”:

In an effort to get the ball rolling again, I just learned that big time G.I. JOE screenwriter STUART BEATTIE has written a spec screenplay called HALO: FALL OF REACH, and it’s based on the best selling novel of the same name by Eric Nylund.

[...]

A spec screenplay is when you write a script on your own without being paid a dime for it in the hopes that it could sell

[...]

Stuart was commissioned to write SPY HUNTER, SPLINTER CELL, and GEARS OF WAR for various studios. His G.I. JOE script is the one that got Paramount to greenlight the $170 million dollar movie which is shooting now.

HALO: FALL OF REACH is a labor of love by Beattie in the hopes of finally getting the movie made.

The Premise of the script:

The script is, first and foremost, a character-driven story about a soldier named John who was kidnapped or “conscripted” by the UNSC when he was just six years old, and then brutally trained to become an elite Spartan warrior known as Master Chief 117.

The script then takes us through the horrific first contact with the Covenant hordes on the doomed colony world of Harvest, and then climaxes with the spectacular fall of the UNSC forward base on Reach, during which every other Spartan is slaughtered.

The script also gives detailed outlines for the second movie, HALO: RISE OF THE FLOOD, which takes place entirely on the Halo ringworld, and the third and final movie, HALO: BATTLE FOR EARTH, which roughly follows the events of Halo 3, the game.

One cool advantage of this first script is that (like the shark in JAWS) you don’t even see the Covenant until halfway through the movie. And because all the creatures are CGI creations, this cuts the budget down dramatically and makes a first Halo movie that much more viable. For Halo fans, it’s like the prequel that provides all the answers to questions they’ve thought about for years. For non Halo fans, it’s an exciting action movie that provides a clear, concise introduction to a world five hundred years in the future with relatable characters and a terrifying alien menace.


Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings films)is still at the helm on this one so it ought to be a good one.

April 27th, 2008, posted by FofR | Digg This

MTV have pointed out Microsoft’s quietly added new job listings for the Jackson helmed, highly secretive Halo project:

“A Peter Jackson-helmed Halo project was announced at X06 in Barcelona,” said a Microsoft spokesperson. “Since then, Microsoft Game Studios has been hard at work collaborating with Peter Jackson and Bungie on the development of that project. At this time, it’s necessary to grow the internal team to keep pace with development. Bungie will continue to remain involved in multiple aspects of the Halo Universe with MGS.”

I don't know how many of you guys are into Halo here but I for one am excited. Between Halo and Robotech this should be a great way to end the decade at the theatre!

Dated quotes taken from Halo-The Movie official site.

PS there is that dam Hiatus word again, look familiar anyone? LMAO

Haha "hiatus" is an evil lazy word! Man everything is getting turned into movies now. Are they running out of ideas?

I vote we pettition Webster to remove that word from the dictionary.

Halo movie....yuk! jk sounds awesome...but really is Hollywood running out of ideas? Lets hope that it turns out to be great.

no. Microsoft is a Money bucket. If they want it so will it be done

I was board and i'm not sure if anyone cares but i'll post it anyway.

Halo The Movie that had been thought of as dead(sky rocketing costs and no financial return in sight for the studio) has been trashed for sure. But it isn't dead by any means.

The story has been picked up by verteran screenplay writer Stuart Beattie (he wrote the screen play for GI-JOE and Gears of War).

That is the review, here is where we sit now.

As of Oct 2nd 2008 Stuart is currently in talks with Microsoft and it would seem that Microsoft really likes his idea. While several screen plays were written this one seems to have that extra ingredient needed to "distinguish it'self from Aliens" This was a key point in trying not to end up with a flop idea like the pathetic DOOM movie.

Now I know what alot of folks out there think, "A movie based on a game? since when did that ever work?" well as DOOM and Mario Brothers showed us they don't. But Halo was written (the novel) very well and it stands on it's own merit very well even if you have never touched (or never plan to touch) a Halo game. It is very well written and if the film is based on this idea then there is a chance it will be a really good summer film.

All i'm saying is don't look at this like a game adaptation to the big screen, just like none of us like it when people who are unfamiliar with RT scoff at the notion of a cartoon to live action ROBOTECH film you need to look at them as films that are there on their own merit.