 Quick Links > Halo |
What do you do when you have a multi-million dollar video game franchise, a hero considered by legions of fans to be on the level of rock and movie stars, and the strength of one of the world leader in CGI technology? You find one of the hottest CGI directors to take the whole thing to Hollywood. Microsoft® and Universal Pictures have announced tapping 26 year old Neill Blomkamp to helm the first motion picture adaptation of the hugely popular video game “Halo”. The film version of Halo will be reportedly be live action with extensive CGI effects, and is expected to capitalize on the popularity of the video game series. The project, originally announced in 2005, has been the object of much conjecture and debate and the decision to allow Blomkamp to lead the project may mark the largest assignment ever handed to a director whose experience to date has been limited to CGI driven ads and one short film. Halo focuses on a marine captain, his surviving marines, and a genetically-and-surgically-enhanced super soldier called “Master Chief”. After they crash-land on an artificial ring-world called “Halo” they must find out what the Covenant, the genocidal alien race they are at war with, are looking for on the ring. However, Halo holds more secrets than either side imagined.
The choice of Blomkamp to direct the film comes as a surprise to many in Hollywood, but not to those in the rapidly growing CGI film, which Halo is expected to heavily rely on. Blomkamp’s credits include awards for state of the art CGI ads for Nike and Citroen, as well as work on television’s Smallville and Dark Angel. Blomkamp also created a 6 minute short film Alive in Joburg which garnered him early attention with Dreamworks during their search for a director for the upcoming film Transformers . “Joburg” uses CGI and live action to tell the story of aliens who inadvertently end up living in apartheid conditions in South Africa upon arriving on earth. The film was widely considered to be Blomkamp’s calling card for his future in Hollywood. Heading up the production team is former Columbia Pictures president Peter Schlessel, along with Mary Parent, and Scott Stuber. Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson are executive producers on the project.
Initially Microsoft® had paid Alex Garland a reported $1 million to turn the game into a screenplay. However, in an interview with Gamesetwatch.com on July 19, 2006 author D.B. Weiss, best known for his book “Lucky Wander Boy”, announced that he has been approached by Universal to take on the script. Weiss told Gamesetwatch.com that he was currently working on his second draft for the studio. Weiss acknowledges Garland’s contribution to the screenplay in an email to Gameset.com by stating “When I said I was starting ‘An entirely new second draft,’ I meant *my* second draft. I didn’t mean to imply that there weren’t many elements of the Garland draft in it, which of course, there are, in both drafts I’ve written.” Weiss has long been considered a major fan and advocate of multi-player as well as single-player video games, and states his excitement in being able to work with the project. Microsoft® had initially sought to have the film’s release coincide with the 2007 release of “Halo 3”; however, pre-production issues have delayed the film and the studio now hopes for a 2008 release. Microsoft® still plans to work closely with Universal in the promotion of the film, especially utilizing the popular X-Box Live feature of it’s gaming units to publicize the release.
