'Halo' Movie Dropped by Studio

If until now the project of making 'Halo' the video game into a movie was permanently prevented from becoming real by various factors, the minute it got the green light, another obstacle appeared. In August, spokespersons for Universal and Fox happily announced that all was set to start shooting.

The movie, inspired from the popular game, was to be directed by Neil Blomkamp, a newly arrived presence in the movie industry. The director came into the spotlight with the critically acclaimed commercial for Citroen-Alive with technology. After he accepted to make his debut with the long anticipated 'Halo' movie, Peter Jackson stepped in as executive producer.

The screenplay was written by Alex Garland ('28 Days Later'), while Mary Parent, Scott Stuber and Peter Schlessel would have served as producers. The only thing that still remained to be seen in what concerned the movie was whether to use real actors or animated characters (in the 'Final Fantasy' tradition).

A couple of days ago, the big bosses from the studio summoned all partners to a meeting that was meant to renegotiate the budget. It is said that both the studios asked Peter Jackson and game creator Microsoft to lower the costs to the $200 million limit, previously set, a thing that they refused to do. When no understanding was to be reached, Universal and Fox left the project, leaving the partners in need of a studio.

'We are disappointed that Universal and Fox wanted to significantly renegotiate the financial points of the deal. But the "Halo" franchise is hugely popular and our goal remains the same - to find a partner that shares our passion and will creatively collaborate with us to best represent the story and spirit of the "Halo" franchise. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and the rest of the creative team are dedicated to ensuring the Halo movie becomes a reality. We are already in discussions with potential partners who recognize the value of the "Halo" brand and its appeal to consumers worldwide.', the Microsoft official statement read, in response to the studios' backing out on 'Halo'.

So, to all the fans out there: there is still hope for the daring movie and, according to reports from the media, it will come pretty soon. Stay tuned for more information.