Halo, one of the world’s most popular video game franchises, attracted high profile Hollywood talent from the get go. Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings) was once attached to produce a live-action feature based on Halo with then-unknown director Neill Blomkamp at the helm. But that production fizzled out like a single magenta spike, and made about as much of an impact. Blomkamp went on to direct original features like the Best Picture nominee District 9 and last year’s Elysium. Peter Jackson got sucked back into Middle Earth with the Hobbit trilogy. Time passed. Animated Halo features were released, followed by a live-action mini-series-turned-feature Halo: Forward Unto Dawn. Audience interest remained high, but Hollywood seemed to have lost interest. Until now.
Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) has been attached to produce an all-new Halo movie directed by “Battlestar Galactica” director Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, according to a new report from The Wrap. Details are minimal but the new, as-yet-untitled film does not appear to be the epic summer blockbuster adaptation many have been hoping for. The new feature is expected to arrive in chapters, similar to Halo: Forward Unto Dawn, and will feature a genetically-engineered super soldier – or as they are known in the Halo universe, a “Spartan” – but not the video game series protagonist Master Chief.
Microsoft is expected to reveal more details about the new Halo feature at this year’s upcoming E3 event in June.
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and co-host of The B-Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
