Author Topic: Game over for Halo movie?  (Read 5859 times)

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Offline aldo_14

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Game over for Halo movie?
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/20/game-over-for-halo-movie/

Quote
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?

 

Offline Prophet

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Bah. It would have been crap anyway...
I'm not saying anything. I did not say anything then and I'm not saying anything now. -Dukath
I am not breaking radio silence just cos' you lot got spooked by a dead flying ****ing cow. -Sergeant Harry Wells/Dog Soldiers


Prophet is walking in the deep dark places of the earth...

 

Offline Mefustae

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Finally. My flaming of all those morons who thought 'Peter Jackson = Instant Winner' is at last vindicated.

Frankly, this is for the best. With perhaps only a single video-game to movie adaptation being anywhere near high quality, this is an excellent move. :yes:

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Halo Movie = :snipe:

I would have watched it in the same way i watched the Doom movie (obviously based on 3) but it would have been pants.
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Offline Ransom

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Ironically, the fact Neil Blomkamp was directing would have been the only reason I might have watched the film.

With perhaps only a single video-game to movie adaptation being anywhere near high quality, this is an excellent move.
Which one was that?

  

Offline Deepblue

  • Corporate Shill
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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
What a badly written story.

It clearly says that PJ and Co. are continuing pre-production work at Weta Digital while they shop around for a new studio. The project is far from dead.

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
They should get Digital Anvil to do the CGI should i t carry on, They are the best in the field if you ask me :)
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
http://badges.steamprofile.com/profile/default/steam/76561198011784807.png

 

Offline Mefustae

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
With perhaps only a single video-game to movie adaptation being anywhere near high quality, this is an excellent move.
Which one was that?
That would be the first 'Mortal Kombat' movie. Haven't seen it myself, but I asked in a thread a while back, and in three pages the only movie anyone came up with was MK. Go figure.

 

Offline aldo_14

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
What a badly written story.

It clearly says that PJ and Co. are continuing pre-production work at Weta Digital while they shop around for a new studio. The project is far from dead.

Losing anywhere between 125 to 200 million of funding from a pair of major studios, including their experience & knowledge at the movie business, doesn't exactly bode well though.  As pre-production is basically 'planning' - scripting, casting, etc - it's hard to see how much useful work can be done without a source of funding.  I mean, how can you cast an actor - especially a 'name' one (i.e. NOT the Rock) - without a budget?

 

Offline Deepblue

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Microsoft.

 

Offline vyper

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
You're right, they'll just CG the entire movie then have the ending cut off by a BSOD.
"But you live, you learn.  Unless you die.  Then you're ****ed." - aldo14

 

Offline BlackDove

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
I think the argument is obvious from his title, no?

 

Offline aldo_14

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Microsoft.

What?  Please explain what on earth that means?

 

Offline Black Wolf

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
It means everything. And nothing. It is the Alpha. And the Omega.
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Offline Ulala

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
 ::)
I am a revolutionary.

 

Offline Deepblue

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
I think the argument is obvious from his title, no?

:rolleyes:

@aldo: Microsoft, or as the kids like to spell it these days, Micro$soft, has deep pockets. In case you haven't heard.

I personally think this is a positive development. I would hope the distributer would be willing to give a film what it needs to become a financial and critical success, rather than just dumping out a generic "blockbuster" with serious quality issues.

Though it is unconfirmed as to whether Fox has left the project. Universal is definitely out though.

 

Offline Thor

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
They should get Digital Anvil to do the CGI should i t carry on, They are the best in the field if you ask me :)
]

I don't even think digital anvil exists any more.

If i had to pick a cg company, I'd be bowing to the cg gods at Zoic, mastermind of the graphics behind the new Battlestar, CSI (and its progeny), Firefly/Serenity, Day After Tommorrow, Cut scenes for The GodFather and Medal of Honour...among others.  Their work impresses me everytime i see their next evolution....

bottom line is if they're good enough for Ricky Bobby...Zoic is good enough for me!

besides cylons have similar properties as the Master Chiefs armour....go halo?
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Offline aldo_14

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
I think the argument is obvious from his title, no?

:rolleyes:

@aldo: Microsoft, or as the kids like to spell it these days, Micro$soft, has deep pockets. In case you haven't heard.

I personally think this is a positive development. I would hope the distributer would be willing to give a film what it needs to become a financial and critical success, rather than just dumping out a generic "blockbuster" with serious quality issues.

Though it is unconfirmed as to whether Fox has left the project. Universal is definitely out though.

Microsoft might have deep pockets, but movies are a huge risk, they have no long term business model or plan for media, no experience, and no connections.  It'd be about as feasible as Ford opening a cafe chain.

 

Offline Davros

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Particle systems should do the cgi
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Offline IPAndrews

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Re: Game over for Halo movie?
Microsoft might have deep pockets, but movies are a huge risk, they have no long term business model or plan for media, no experience, and no connections.  It'd be about as feasible as Ford opening a cafe chain.

So what. They've got so much money they could afford to blow 2-300 million discovering whether they are any good at movies or not. They could treat it as a feasibility study.
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