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Halo Flick Might Be on the Way

Blamemyparents writes "Ain't It Cool News has a story that the ever so popular Halo might be making the jump to the big screen. It looks like Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator and Alien is doing it. Judging from IGN's take on the story, it looks like the story would pick up more on Halo 2 than on the original Halo, which he feels didn't have enough of a storyline going. Here's to hoping it doesn't go the way of that Final Fantasy flick."

62 comments

  1. Waiting for Pong as a movie by mmcleod · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm taking bets on how long we'll have to wait before we see Pong as a thrilling new attraction at local theaters.

  2. Audrey II by GeneralCern · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope the hold true to the awesome storyline told in Halo 2. They could use the plant from Little Shop of Horrors, and the climax would be when the movie just abruptly ends 22 minutes into it!

    1. Re:Audrey II by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Another piece of crap movie, can't wait... Sir Master Ass-blaster Chief King of Dung.

  3. RvB by Mooga · · Score: 1

    Let me guess? Red Vs Blue: The Movie

    --
    ~ Mooga
  4. Space marines kick ass, any way you cut it. by rqqrtnb · · Score: 0

    Not enough movies with space marines. With that said, the storyline for Halo, tho good for a game, isnt' very interesting as a movie I don't think. Don't get me started on Halo 2 with the (spoiler) way that one ended. "I'm going to finish the fight". Not with me controlling you you little fuck.

    1. Re:Space marines kick ass, any way you cut it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't know if it would work - we has a tv series on Space Marines in the form of Space:Above and Beyond, and that failed miserably.

      (I personally liked it - the first episode was a little jingoistic, but subsequent ones revealed some great storylines, atmosphere, and plot elements - Tanks, the AIs (very much like the modern Cylons in BattleStar Galactica), etc. Pity it was ended before its time)

  5. Interesting Headline Means Accepted Submission by The-Bus · · Score: 4, Funny

    Summary: "It looks like Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator and Alien is doing it."

    Article: "Now the tricky part is, apparently Ridley Scott has seen the materials before. And subsequently passed on doing it. ... Don't know if Ridley's budged."

    Tricky on the part of Warner Brothers. They know Halo 2 did well, so they "leak" some baseless information regarding Ridley Scott being attached to the project, hopefully get enough response to trade rags say things like "gaming fans around the globe have already begun wetting themselves with excitement" and then go back to Scott Free and say, "Hey, look, we've got all this support now!"

    By the time the movie comes out, it will have 7 writers, star Paul Walker as Master Chief, and be directed by Tony Scott, he of "Top Gun" fame.

    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

    1. Re:Interesting Headline Means Accepted Submission by PhotoBoy · · Score: 1

      Could be worse, we could end up with Paul WS Anderson, the guy who managed to fuck up the Alien Vs Predator and Resident Evil films.

  6. You'd think they could do no wrong by AbsurdProverb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I used to think that way when I heard Wing Commander was going to be made into a movie. The story was all there, hell in WC, the game was basicly one big interactive movie anyway.
    However that theory was proved wrong the moment the opening credits scrawled.

    The Halo franchise is similar in the respect that it has two games and three mediocre books under its belt.

    In the game, Master Chief throws out a few lines, but mostly he's stoic and generally devoid of personality. Really the story is told by the people (specificly Cortana) who prattle on while you focus on blasting shit. In between are a few cut scenes, much improved in the sequel, and then the same formula resumes.

    The books (1 prequel, 1 following the first game, and one bridging the the two games) don't do much to fill in the gaps in character. Mostly its just the authors creating characters who will more than likely swiftly die within the next thumb full of pages. Don't look for much cinimatic assistance from there.

    On the bright side, Ridley Scott did well by Alien(s) and the Flood is very reminicent (if not copied) from them. So long as the dialouge isn't too lame and the action is high, the movie could prove a painless adaptation.

    1. Re:You'd think they could do no wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ridley Scott had little or nothing to do with Aliens. Alien, on the other hand, was his baby, though the screenplay was by O'Bannon and Shussett, it was Scott who hired the art department, the actors, the cinematographer, etc. and made it what it is. He didn't "do well by" Alien, he MADE it what it is. The story was good, but the filmmaking was astounding.

  7. Master Cheif and Cortana by MBCook · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Well, at least it would be hard to mess up master chief and cortana.

    Master Chief can be played by anyone. He's just a suit. Then you dub over his voice and you're set.

    Cortana is supposed to be CGI anyways (in the game) so there is no problem there either. Again, get the voice from the game and you're set.

    They should be able to get it "right" pretty easily. But if it comes to the screen, I'm just worried they will try to give Master Chief a romantic interest or something like that, or scenes without his armor on or something like that. They could make a good action/war flick that would be fun to watch, but they could easily make something that is as true to the game as the Super Mario Brothers move was.

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
    1. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by MagicDude · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm just worried they will try to give Master Chief a romantic interest

      That's true, but there is a way they could work it in. MC is a pretty awesome dude, so it's quite possible that a female protagonist would develop a crush on him. Things would be ruined though if MC started getting all romantic and junk, since that's just not his style. Here's the best way a love scene could work out.

      Blondie McBigrack- "I love you Master Chief"

      Master Chief- "I know" (Master Chief whips out machine gun, spends next 20 minutes killing covenant grunts)


      If I recall correctly, it was this topic which killed talks on the Half Life movie. When the hollywood producers started talking about Gordon's love interest, that's when the Half Life guys said "That's enough, we're not going there with Gordon, that's not who he is" and ended the discussions.

    2. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by MBCook · · Score: 1

      Yes, that would work great. But as you pointed out, it's the OTHER WAY (like in the half-life movie) that worries me. There is nothing wrong with MC rescuing some girl who's important to the plot and her (or another girl) falling in love with him, but he has to be his cool self about it. If they try to do any kiss scenes or anything else (basically reciprication on his side) then it wouldn't work.

      --
      Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
    3. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by forkazoo · · Score: 1

      If they do it really campy, they could do a fun joke ripoff of the infamous upside-down spiderman kiss, where he still has his shiny helmet mostly on... That might be amusing, if the director camps the whole movie up enough.

    4. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by Moonshadow · · Score: 3, Funny

      As far as I'm concerned, the only woman that'd ever be woman enough for the Chief is Samus.

      Hot cyborg-on-cyborg action, baby.

    5. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

      They should cast that darth vader guy. Man he really brings a suit to life.

    6. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by Captain+Nitpick · · Score: 1
      MC is a pretty awesome dude, so it's quite possible that a female protagonist would develop a crush on him.

      What worries me is one of the Private Dubbo lines from Halo 1:

      "Wow! He's taller than I thought... And better looking too!"

      Dubbo was one of the male UNSC Marines.

      --
      But then again, I could be wrong.
    7. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by bongo69 · · Score: 1

      In the official books he is often without in scenes without his armour on.

    8. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by bigman2003 · · Score: 1

      Translating that to English...

      There are a few scenes in the Halo books, where Master Chief doesn't wear his armor.

      He is a somewhat regular person, and he does take his armor off- usually for things like...putting new armor on.

      There is a female doctor in the books who is supposed to be somewhat hot- but she is also like 25 years older than the Master Chief ('John' is is real name).

      Also, there were actually other Spartans (that is what Master Chief is) who were female- and in the book they attempted a little flirting between them.

      So the possibility is there- they didn't go completely with the man/machine Terminator model.

      Also- he'll be looking for his family, you know they love that crap in movies.

      --
      No reason to lie.
    9. Re:Master Cheif and Cortana by 59Bassman · · Score: 1
      If I'm not mistaken, one of the letters in one of the books accompanying HALO 2 (great for thumbing through while waiting an ETERNITY for another MP game to be found) shows a pretty romantic interest by the Admiral's daughter, Melissa Keys (?).

      It's in there already.

  8. Re:Who cares by Skyfire · · Score: 1

    So gaming has become elitist now? Wow, gaming has matured lately.

    --
    Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
  9. release date? by Collision891 · · Score: 2, Funny

    and let me guess its, supposed to come out february 9th

  10. There's a better possibility out there by CodeWanker · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm holding out for "Burger Time: Final Blood Reckoning."

    --


    "Wow. Now THAT'S a lot of angry Indians." - Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer
  11. Let's hope it's not EXACTLY like Halo 2 ;) by Weeb · · Score: 4, Funny

    (Opening Credits Roll)

    Warner Bros. Pictures presents

    A Film by Ridley Scott

    Halo: The
    --

    DISC READ ERROR

    The Movie Projector could not read your disc. It may be dirty or damaged. Please remove the disc to continue.

    1. Re:Let's hope it's not EXACTLY like Halo 2 ;) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      huh?

  12. Red vs. Blue by jon787 · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Wait, didn't some guys already do this?
    RedvsBlue.com

    Church: Tucker, we don't have time for this. Why would they give us a teleporter if it doesn't work?

    Tucker: I don't know! Why would they give us a tank that no one can drive?

    Church: We already tested the teleporter, remember?

    Tucker: We threw rocks through it!

    Church: Yeah, and? So what? The rocks came out the other side, didn't they?

    Tucker: Yeah, but they were all hot and covered with black stuff.

    Church: Oh, so I guess that's what this is all about, then. You're afraid of a little black stuff.

    Tucker: Yes, I am. I am afraid of black stuff.

    Church: Tucker, // aims assault rifle at Tucker's head // I almost hate to do this to you...

    Tucker: You wouldn't.

    Church: You know, I look at it this way: either a) we go through there, and get the flag back, or b) we stay here and I get to kill you. Either way, I win.

    Tucker: For the record, I want you to know, rocks aren't people.

    Church: Duly noted. Now get in there.

    --
    X(7): A program for managing terminal windows. See also screen(1).
  13. Re:About VG adaptations by AbsurdProverb · · Score: 1

    Studio Ghibli should make Ico

    Absolutely agreed. Given the chance, they would more than improve upon the original project. Great game, very overshadowed.

    Heres to Wanda and the Colossus aka Nico in 2005.

  14. Re:Who cares by wibs · · Score: 1

    Gaming was always the exclusive realm of the social misfits. Tabletop RPGs, 36-hour NES sessions trying to learn and beat a rented game before its return date, comparing obscure stat points of characters from one game to the next in a series - all of these things were blissfully done away from the world of birds, bees, and football. Now the rest of the world has caught on that gaming doesn't completely suck, and the nerds are all upset that they're going to have to find a new corner away from the crowd.

    Of course they could just use their newfound shared interests with the rest of the world to actually make some friends, but who wants to do that?

    --
    If you get nervous, just remember that there are a few billion other people who don't really give a damn.
  15. I liked Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within! by Goosey · · Score: 3, Funny

    You insensitive clod!

    --
    --- "End Of Line" - MCP
    1. Re:I liked Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within! by b0bx13 · · Score: 1

      I did too!! Let's team up and wash the earth with the blood of the FF:TSW hating infidels!

    2. Re:I liked Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within! by krel · · Score: 1

      I liked Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within! (Score:2, Funny)

      That is funny...

      --
      karma: ouch!
  16. Riddley Scott.. by ciupman · · Score: 1

    ... add some vangelis sound track and we'll have another sci-fi master peace...

    --
    I fuse with Mercer every single day...
    1. Re:Riddley Scott.. by th3space · · Score: 1

      what, pray tell, is a 'master peace'? whatever it is, i don't see the Master Chief having dominion over it.

      --
      "How like you to drag your keyboard to a gun fight." - Aaron Bedard (BANE)
    2. Re:Riddley Scott.. by hal2814 · · Score: 1

      Ok, I'm having trouble equating the following:

      ("Ridley Scott" + "Philip K Dick adaptation" + "Vangelis") == ("Ridley Scott" + "video game plot" + "Vangelis")

    3. Re:Riddley Scott.. by ciupman · · Score: 1

      Why did you have to nitpick .. ;) And for you info .. "Philip K Dick adaptation" == "Video game plot" is still very valid if you do the math right!

      --
      I fuse with Mercer every single day...
  17. Sarge!! by ObsessiveMathsFreak · · Score: 1

    Sarge! How did you escape from Halo AND land a multimillion dollar cameo role in a movie of your exploits?

    Sarge: "That's classified."

    --
    May the Maths Be with you!
    1. Re:Sarge!! by Lonath · · Score: 2, Funny

      He grabbed that Elite's ass and rode it all the way home...

  18. Halo 2? by krel · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't think either Halo or the sequel have enough of a plot to shoot a half-decent movie around.
    Marathon though, I'd give both kidneys to see a movie based off that.

    --
    karma: ouch!
    1. Re:Halo 2? by DreadPiratePizz · · Score: 1

      Marathon would be near impossible to make a good movie from:
      The main character only interacts with AIs from the game by terminals. He has no contact whatsoever with anybody. All of the game's story is conveyed through the terminals, which doesn't translate into cinema well at all. Most of the story had to be read "between the lines".

    2. Re:Halo 2? by Moonshadow · · Score: 1

      Have a gander at the Halo novels. There's more than enough material there to make a summer blockbuster.

    3. Re:Halo 2? by PriceIke · · Score: 1

      You're taking it too literally. Marathon has incredible potential for storytelling, because the scope of its universe is massive. A movie could focus on one marine's fight to liberate the Marathon from the Pfhor, then winding up enslaved by Durandal and then carted across the galaxy to Lh'owon (?sp) to continue their exploits. Put a comlink into the marine's suit that linked directly to Leela/Durandal/Tycho/whichever (which shouldn't have been too hard for all the technology evidenced in Marathon) and presto, you don't need terminals.

      A darker, more cyperpunk/gothic version of Knight Rider, only KITT drives Michael.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
  19. Rumor Control by enditallnow · · Score: 4, Informative


    Have a look over at Gamespot for a different take on the story.

    http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/news_611 3693.html

    Heres a copy and paste of the article.
    RUMOR #5: Ridley Scott will direct the film version of Halo, in which Ed Harris and Samuel L. Jackson will star.

    Source: German site Sci-Fi News and Ain't It Cool News, the most loathed and loved movie-info site on the Web.

    The official story: "Microsoft does not comment on rumors or speculation"--Microsoft spokesman. Warner Bros. said "No comment."

    What we heard: In a bit of a coup, Sci-Fi News scored the first pictures of the storyboards for the Halo movie, of which there are several on the site. It also claimed that the same source said that the project will be announced shortly in Variety, with full cast and crew details. According to the site, Ed Harris will play Captain Keyes, the Pillar of Autumn's doomed captain, and Samuel L. Jackson will play Sergeant Johnson, the hard-boiled UNSC space marine who assisted the Master Chief's Covenant-killing crusade. Sitting in the director's chair will be none other than Ridley Scott, director of sci-fi classics Alien and Blade Runner and arguably the most intense war film ever made, Black Hawk Down.

    The mere thought of such talent bringing Halo to the screen is enough to give any geek heart palpitations. However, on the other side of the planet, Ain't It Cool News (AICN) was telling a much different tale. AICN received a tip from an informant claiming to work at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. According to said informant, two designers from WBIE-owned Monolith were in a meeting with Warner Bros. executives about the game adaptation of the 2006 sci-fi movie 2176, about "a futuristic retelling of the Revolutionary War." During the discussion, the subject of the Halo movie came up. According to the "WB informant," Warner Bros. approached Bungie at this year's E3 about acquiring the Halo film rights. Their response? "Unless you got the writer and director of the original Alien, everyone can go fish." And, according to AICN, Scott had already passed on the project, based on the script. However, since Halo 2 sold 2.5 million copies the first day, Warner Bros. has asked Scott to reconsider--and AICN says there's been no answer yet.

    Although the quality of its writing lowered the bar for online film journalism to ant-height levels, AICN has been a steady source of Hollywood rumors for nearly a decade. Many are false. But many are spot-on, and the one posted today rings truer than its German counterpart.

    Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus, although we'd love to be wrong on this one.

    I can't speak for the validity of any of the sources, IGN, Ain't It Cool, Sci-Fi News or Gamespot but hopefully this will present the another side to the story.

    Personally, I would like the story to be true however I must admit to being quite jaded after the fake February 9th story. I guess time will tell.

    -- Enditallnow
  20. Re:For better or worse. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    10 bucks says it was the same mod.

  21. I'm confused by Pluvius · · Score: 1

    I thought GTA was the end-all, be-all of gaming. Besides Planescape: Torment (which I accept as given), name a game that's better than GTA:SA. (I ask not because I expect an objective answer, but because I wish to see where your tastes in games lie.)

    Halo, on the other hand, is overrated by just about anyone who hasn't played a good PC FPS. As for Madden, it's just a sports game; not particularly good, not particularly bad.

    Rob

    1. Re:I'm confused by krymsin01 · · Score: 1

      Tetris is the best game ever. Simple. Elagant. Addictive. 2nd are all the bust-a-move clones.

      --
      stuff
  22. You see this would be different. by reconbot · · Score: 1

    The Final Fantasy Movie or "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" wasn't a movie about a game. It was given a name to fit in with the series because it follows a lot of common themes through the Final Fantasy series. Themes like shared spiritual energy between the earth (Gia) and its inhabitants. SquareSoft (rather Square Enix or something like that) wasn't trying to make a movie off the game, just a different type of chapter to the Final fantasy series.

    Personally I hope this movie doesn't go the way of the Tomb Raider series. Not that the movie had much to build off of...

    --
    I'm just this guy, you know?
  23. zerg by Lord+Omlette · · Score: 1

    The only thing that could make this better is if they cast the Rock is Master Chief.

    Think about it! The People's Hero giving some covenant monster the People's Elbow! Box office gold!

    --
    [o]_O
  24. transcript by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Here's the transcript from the execs pitching the idea of Halo movie.

    Exec 1: Have you heard of this halo game for playstation that made more money in pre orders alone than are latest movies.

    Exec 2:Damn, and I thought that Bridget Jones 2 was gonna kill at the box office. Anyway, yes I believe my nephew was talking about it.

    Exec 1: Well maybe we should ask the company who produced it for the rights to a movie.

    Exec 2: Hmm that might be a good idea. Who should direct it?

    Exec 1: Ridley Scott? Cameron?

    Exec 2: No No No No. What we don't need is a intelligent R rated movie. This has to appeal strictly to the PG-13 crowd. Only kids play video games.

    Exec 1: How about we get that guy who directed the Resident Evil movies for us.

    Exec 2: Now I'm getting you. And how about casting the Rock as the lead character. Kids love wrestling!

    Exec 1: Just what I was about to say. Brilliant! Get our guys to write up a rough draft and have it on my desk in a week. See if you can find any writers with young kids to give them some insight.

    Exec 2: Wow, I wish I could come up with ideas like you.

    Exec 1: What can I say, these ideas hit me like a bolt of lightning.

    1. Re:transcript by TLSPRWR · · Score: 1

      "Exec 1: What can I say, these ideas hit me like a bolt of lightning."

      I wish.

  25. Not "Pong"... rather... "Gnop" by poena.dare · · Score: 1

    Not "Pong"... rather... "Gnop"

    Gnop, Alex Seropian's first foray into programming, would make a much better movie than Pong.

    The year is 1990, a wild and dangerous time. Follow the exploits of the Left Black Paddle as it attempts the overcome the machinations of the Evil Right Black Paddle and its unwilling dupe, The Ball.

    1. Re:Not "Pong"... rather... "Gnop" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Before poena gets modded Offtopic again: Alex Seropian was the founder of Bungie. He's at Wideload now, but he was there for the whole development of Halo 1. Basically, Gnop was the first Bungie game.

      - [Andrew Nagy]

  26. CGI? by Godman · · Score: 1

    I hope they use CGI to make this movie, if it ever comes out. I'd like to see how much its improved since Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.

    --
    I have this really funny quote that I like to put here. Unfortunately, there's this really annoying thing called a char
  27. Blade Runner by ankura · · Score: 1

    > It looks like Ridley Scott, director of Gladiator
    and Alien is doing it.

    Add Blade Runner there. Probably his most significant work.

    1. Re:Blade Runner by hambonewilkins · · Score: 1

      That fact that Gladiator, a really bad Ridley Scott film, is there is a sign that the excellent Blade Runner ain't gonna make the list. Though Alien is quite good as well.

      --

      God Bless America. Why? Did it sneeze?
  28. What do you mean TR had nothing to build off of? by Nomihn0 · · Score: 1

    There was Lara Croft and a couple really big . . . um, *gesticulates a la Monty Python* tracts of land!

  29. Thank your diety for this one by Lisandro · · Score: 1

    AT LAST, a movie based on a game with a top notch director. Don't get me wrong, i like Paul Anderson (check "Event Horizon" for a hell of a sci fi terror flick), and he did a fine job with both "AvP" and "Resident Evil", but he usually delivers popcorn flicks instead of movies with depth. I'd like to see a game-based movie that'd last more than a summer in interest.

    Yet, Ridley Scott is one of my favorite directors ("Legend" aside), and if anyone can pull a good sci-fi action movie, he's the one. I don't care much about the Halo history, but i'm eager to see this one.

  30. Re:Who cares by PriceIke · · Score: 1

    Tabletop RPGs are still a pretty safe haven for social misfits from "the rest of the world".

    --
    It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.