Slashdot Mirror
Halo Script Hawked To Studios
Gamespot has the story of Microsoft's crusade to sell the Halo movie script to a studio. They really went all out, apparently, with messengers dressed as Master Chief delivering the scripts to the major studios. From the article: "Whatever studio picks up the project would also have to relinquish 'strict control of development' to Halo developer Bungie Studios, who have written a 'bible' which any director and producer would have to follow. Variety's sources say the purpose of the 'bible' is 'to make sure any changes to the script don't alter the universe established in the first two Halo games that will continue in future sequels,' apparently further confirming Halo 3 is in the works."
All this talk of the Halo universe and its bible has me wondering... have they written in this bible how the Marathon games tie in? It's been stated before by the guys at Bungie that yes, there is a link. They just haven't said precisely how. Yet.
Although I'm sure some will see the $10 million price for the script, and the "Bible" as a sign of Microsoft's vanity, I see it as a good thing.
The "Bible" will keep the script from hurting the Halo 1-2 story continuity, and also make sure the film doesn't set precedents that the game developers don't want to follow.
Second, the $10 million price tag will make sure the film studio is fully committed to the project, ensuring a large budget for the film and therefore a better chance at high-quality visual effects and good actors.
(Endnote: I do realize a big budget != good quality film, but it does help with creating a believable universe. Could the LOTR trilogy be as good as it is if Jackson didn't have such a huge budget to allow the development of Massive and the recruitment of quality actors?)
I can't say that I'm a terribly large fan of either of those movies. I think this guy was overpaid just a little much. They could've lifted one of the internet from some fanfic site for a lot cheaper. I'm a little bit worried about how good of a script it is.
"Whatever studio picks up the project would also have to relinquish "strict control of development" to Halo developer Bungie Studios, who have written a "bible" which any director and producer would have to follow."
Amen to this though. I wish all movies based on games followed this fashion. It seems to me that a lot of game based movies that could be awesome end up being terrible because they don't follow the game closely. I'm 100% behind MS on this because it ensures that some asshat won't just add or invent new stuff to make the movie look cooler. Just imagine some studio adding a romance sub-plot to appeal to the 55-80 year old woman demographic.
Otherwise I kind of look foreward to a Halo movie. I'd also like to see a Metriod movie, and MGS movie since all of those games really have great potential. Make a good movie out of them and I will pay honor to it with my $7 movie ticket.
It better had be 'in the works' otherwise I for one will not be even considering an XBox360.
Uwe Bowl can get lost right now!
oxymoron of the day - Xbox gamer
It sounds like they want too much control for most studios to take them up on the offer.
May I suggest instead that they buy a bunch of those disposeable camcorders.
the purpose of the 'bible' is 'to make sure any changes to the script don't alter the universe established in the first two Halo games that will continue in future sequels,
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
even though the ending was t3h sux0r in halo 2, at least they are trying to stay somwhat true to the game. how many movies based on games have been totally unrelated to the games...the only one that was really close in my opinion was final fantasy, the spirits with in...because the final fantasy universe is so disjointed as is...
thank you bungie. i may actually go see this if its ever made.
"Whatever studio picks up the project would also have to relinquish 'strict control of development' to Halo developer Bungie Studios, who have written a 'bible' which any director and producer would have to follow."
Honestly, is that how they think it works on Hollywood? It doesn't. The studios aren't going to sink all the money and time into a project and allow themselves to be ordered around by a video game company. That's not smart business from their end, especially when they're gambling on a story like this. A movie based on guys in armor shooting aliens? It's called Starship Troopers, and it bombed.
Uwe Boll!
Uwe Boll!
Uwe Boll!
pooptruck
Sorry, I missed the bit where we're all under the assumption that Halo 3 might not be happening.
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
For those curious, here's a picture of one of the the Master Chief messengers
Screw the movie studios. They screwed up The Matrix when they went from movie to video game. They screwed up Tomb Raider when they went video game to movie. They screwed up Starship Troopers when they went from book to movie. They can't seem to do anything right anymore so let Bungie and Microsoft do it. Worst case scenario, if it bombs you blame Bungie and Microsoft for being 'too strict.'
I wish they had made the producers of the Doom movie consult with Id Software for the script. So far Doom: The Movie sounds like it's going to suck.
...and yes, I work at one of the studios. I wasn't the one who was given the script to read -- the Master Chief messenger waited for the script to get read and then took the supposedly uncopied single copy back.
A couple of studios (including mine) have already passed. You can probably already find reports on the net attesting to the unenthusiastic response.
Someone'll pay millions for it, though, even if it's not any good. Because Halo itself is enough of a name to get decent first-weekend box office and decent first-two-weeks DVD sales six months later. And that's really all that counts, innit?
On a more serious note, I wonder well this will fly in Hollywood. As much as there is money to be made, Hollywood types have their own massive egos and control issues. Being told, "Here's a script we want you to make, and a bible you have to adhere to while doing it" might not get the results they are interested in.
LotR and the Harry Potter movies have been successful even though they don't capture the true canon of the books. I think in the long run they' be better off breaking canon, but having a good movie. The flip side, is that MS has enough money to pay the production costs themselves. Get someone who is good, produce it yourself, and only use Hollywood for the distribution. That way you maintain total control throughoutand you can make sure your investment is wisely spent.
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
But we can't let you summon Uwe Boll. We need him down here to help us come up with effective ways to torture souls.
We do have Derek Smart available, who promises to make the greatest space marine fighting aliens movie simulation ever! He says he will keep things "very" "faithful" to the original for all you purists out there, but if you criticize him or question his movie making credentials he will ban you from seeing it.
I can't tell you too much of what he has planed, but just wait till you see the $20.00 1,000 key command 2,000-page manual that will go along with the movie!
The irony of this is the man is reading slashdot, and even more so making comments. I thought you said you had something better to do than read slashdot, why dont you go do that and wait for the rest of us to be enlightened.
Thanks.
This will suck so bad it's not even funny.
Pure marketing at its highest form.
I wouldn't mind a Half Life movie--that video game had far more interesting characters in it. Morrowind has a bit more potential, too. Even Myst. But Halo just never struck me as a particularly interesting story, even for a video game.
Heh yeah, plus, he thinks everyone wants to live a primitive life. I'm quite familiar with the outdoors, etc (even today, I'm barefoot unless I have to go downtown, thick soles and all), but I prefer my life with technology.
I'll take a geeky girl over a hippie girl any time. Smart chiks are hot!
I can see them attempting to work it so that the film and the Episode III video game are released at the same time. The hype levels would be staggering.
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
Oh, wait a minute.... Ewwwwww!
I don't think you give that movie enough credit. I think you should really try and see the finer points of Starship Troopers and not dismiss it because it didn't turn out to be what you wanted it to be. It's subtle and overblown at the same time. It's a great action movie and a satire of humanity at the same time.
The movie studios have done good work making movies from books and comics (I will admit video games seem to be more miss than hit, but if I was 10 years younger I probably would have enjoyed Tomb Raider) and it's unfair to proclaim anything else they make will be crap just because they dropped the ball on a few films.
This is the funniest thing I've read in a long time. My wife works in the feature film industry, and I can tell you that showing up at a studio dressed as a character and carrying a script is -not- what gets a script sold; it's what makes studios put you on an instant rejection list. Neither is showing up with a bible and saying "you can't violate this history when making the film" -- that just tells the studio the contracts have to get creative control away from you, lest you bog the whole thing down over the "accuracy" of the fiction.
If Microsoft really wants to see this thing made, they have the cash, and cash or publicity are the two possible ways to get a movie made these days. Generate a lot of publicity by deciding to go it alone, sign up the best production company that money can buy, and go nuts.
Oh, and I doubt the people who would watch a Halo movie are going to give a rat's arse about the backstory, any more than the people who watched resident evil. And hey, guess what -- if they do, it'll be the backstory OF THE MOVIE, not the game.
Okay, rant over. But it was a rant with a smile on my face, I promise. Hilarious!
..which you all should also be concerned with.
1. The voice actor for MasterChief in the games voices him.
2. The voice actor for Cortana voices her.
3. Two words, Sergeant Johnson.
Because of his armor, having one actor do MasterChief's movements and another his voice would work, ala Darth Vader.
Since Cortana would probably be computer generated, again, no issue.
And Sergeant Johnson rocks.
Thunderclone: ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE! ONE MAN ENTERS! TWO MEN LEAVE!
I seem to remember it being titled "Ringworld"
Seriously, Halo was a good single player game, but the story was always kind of weak and the endings have been major suxxor.
Larry Niven could poop out a better story.
"Cheeze it!" - Bender
Not true. The explanation of the story in the game hasn't been great, but their is great story behind Halo.
I have the three Halo books that are out so far and I was seriously impressed when I read them. The books had a lot of incorrect spellings and poor grammar, but the plot was interesting..probably the fastest I have ever read a trilogy of that size. One of the first things I thought when I finished with the books was, "when are they going to make this into a movie", so I think that if they do this correctly(which it sounds like they are), this could be very cool for the Halo fans.
But Halo 2 was such a complete story, wrapping up all loose ends... how could they possible make another?
Halo Schmalo! screw that. Last I heard MS owns FASA and all rights to the Mech Warrior Series! Now if you doubt a Mech Warrior movie based on the (books/Games) would sell, Blow the dust off a copy of Mech Warrior 2 and re-live that kick ass opening sequence.
Did anyone notice that the Star Trek Armada 1 and 2 computers games were more exciting, better written and a whole lot more fun than any of the STTNG Movies?
I seem to remember it being titled "Ringworld"
;-)
Funny. I thought it was titled Consider Phlebas.
Tedious Bloggy Stuff - hooray?
http://www.troma.com/
which conjures up an entirely different image.
Like we need another movie that involves no plot, and lots of space marines shooting aliens. Gee, that's original.
i agree, smart chicks are hot.
the chicks in halo which for all of their intelligence not outrageously large chested and dont really wear skimpy outfits. if halo was made into a movie, i think this would be the first change hollywood would make.
I didn't even know there was a book at all until this thread. It kinda makes me want to get a copy and read it though, if for no other reason than to see how different it is from the movie. If I do read it, I'm going in with the full knowledge that it won't be what I expect so I'll be less likely to be dissapointed, but before I say it's bad I need to make sure I think it's bad in it's own right, not because it's not like the movie I watched.
What did you think of I, Robot?
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks:
First published - 1987
Awards Won - ? (Zero by my search)
Ringworld by Larry Niven:
First Published - 1970
Awards Won - 1970 Nebula Award (Best Novel), 1971 Hugo Award (Best Novel) and the 1970 Locus Award, amongst others.
p0wn3d!!
I'll agree that Consider Phlebas has scored well in many sci-fi reviews: Banks is no hack and it can stand on it's own merits without being thought of as a Ringworld rip-off.
That said, giving credit where credit is due, Banks borrowed the ring concept: Niven's work was first by nearly two decades, is more widely read and is much more distinguished.
/Before I packed to move, my books were on four 7' bookcases
//Stacked horizontally to the top of each shelf
///Two rows deep
////Not counting the overflow of hardbacks, trade paperbacks and other odd sizes.
/////BOW TO MY SCI-FI NERDDOM!
"Cheeze it!" - Bender