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[Rhindle]

Really good read: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/10/b...l=0&adxnnlx=1118376654-H3Ik7m6Xzuq1ZwgQjWyQ2g

LOS ANGELES, June 9 - Hollywood does not like it when outsiders play certain games.

That was the message sent this week to Microsoft and its agents at the Creative Artists Agency by movie studios outraged at the aggressive proposal being shopped for the film version of the popular Xbox video game Halo.

Even studio executives, known for their lavish spending, winced at Microsoft's demands, including a $10 million upfront fee for rights, approval over the cast and director, and 60 first-class plane tickets for Microsoft representatives and their guests to the movie's premiere.

As a result, the auction Microsoft had hoped for never materialized. Within 24 hours of reading the script, based on the game about an alien universe, five studios dropped out of the bidding, including DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures. The two that remained, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures, balked at the price.

But in the end, after intense negotiations, Microsoft and Creative Artists have negotiated a deal, although it is not yet final. The intense, high-stakes talks that got them there indicate just how big the video game business has grown - and how attuned to its power Hollywood studios have become.

The process began at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday when several actors dressed as the Master Chief, a green-helmeted warrior from Halo, walked into the lobbies of several Hollywood studios, scripts in hand. Microsoft had taken the unusual step of paying Alex Garland, the writer of the horror film "28 Days Later" and a Creative Artists client, about $1 million to write a script faithful to the Halo universe.

Studio executives were asked to read it while the Master Chiefs waited in the lobbies. At Paramount, one studio executive said, the Master Chief held his helmet in his lap because he was hot. When executives were finished reading, each studio was given a proposal with Microsoft's terms and 24 hours to respond.

Late Wednesday afternoon, two of the people involved said, Mr. Schlessel, Universal and Fox tentatively agreed to complex financial terms: Microsoft would be paid no more than $5 million for Halo, half the original asking price. That amount was part of a deal to give Microsoft 10 percent of the first-dollar box-office gross receipts, less than before but still considerable given Microsoft's lack of a track record. Universal, in turn, would oversee production and get domestic distribution rights, while Fox would get the foreign rights and have a say in production.

Both studios declined to comment on Thursday. That is because the deal is contingent on Microsoft's agreeing to give up some creative control, the two people said.

All sides are sure to claim victory once a deal is announced. Microsoft can tell fans it preserved the integrity of the Halo games; Creative Artists will try to demand even more money for its clients; and Fox and Universal will lay claim to a hot video game title and a potential future partner in Microsoft. The other studios, for their part, will have to decide whether to go along when other eager video game makers come calling.

 

[DopeyFish]

Halo movie! Rock!

 

[Timo]

this is going to me so cool.


it would be awesome if they did a tie in game like street figher, except make it a really, really shitty shooter.


or an action platformer.

 

[FiRez]

so that confirms that isn't CG

 

[Joe]

if the movie is actually good microsoft could very well own the summer of 2006 (assuming both the game and movie release then).

 

[gigapower]

I'm surprised Uwe didn't spend some of his profits from Alone in the Dark on it.

 

[SKluck]

Holy shit I thought the dressing up as MC was a joke :lol I didn't think they actually did it.

Their 'demands' don't seem terribly outrageous though. Maybe too much for the rights, but approval of director and cast I'd expect from Microsoft/Bungie and their baby cashcow. The wrong combo could ruin the series' name.

 

[DopeyFish]

if the movie is actually good microsoft could very well own the summer of 2006 (assuming both the game and movie release then).

Having a very good movie and a very good game... would be absolutely colossal. Like there's no two ways about it. You think you heard enough of Halo 2 before it launched? Imagine if the Halo movie and Halo 3 were within 1 week of each other... you would NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT.

 

[Infinitemadness]

Maybe someone will finally get around to making a GOOD Master Chief toy.


I hate you Joyride.

 

[FiRez]

Having a very good movie and a very good game... would be absolutely colossal. Like there's no two ways about it. You think you heard enough of Halo 2 before it launched? Imagine if the Halo movie and Halo 3 were within 1 week of each other... you would NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT.

I will use inverse psychology then, because it didn't work in the normal way the last time....
heck inverse psychology worked for H:CE.

 

[ManaByte]

if the movie is actually good microsoft could very well own the summer of 2006 (assuming both the game and movie release then).

If they release Summer 2006 they'll be crushed by The Da Vinci code on Memorial Day and Superman in June. They'd be very smart to hold out for a August release.

Same goes for 2007 where it'd be destroyed by Spider-Man 3, Indiana Jones, and Shrek 3.

 

[Fuzzy]

Both studios declined to comment on Thursday. That is because the deal is contingent on Microsoft's agreeing to give up some creative control, the two people said.

I can see an average movie coming from this.

 

[CosmicGroinPull]

Even studio executives, known for their lavish spending, winced at Microsoft's demands, including a $10 million upfront fee for rights, approval over the cast and director, and 60 first-class plane tickets for Microsoft representatives and their guests to the movie's premiere.

:lol

Well, hopefully Bungie gets to preserve their vision for the movie......

And if it sucks, flame on!

 

[Deleted member 1235]

that master chief showing up thing is about the dumbest thing I've heard today. Way to dork it up microsoft. I really hope this doesn't make the game uncool if the movie sucks.

 

[Suikoguy]

that master chief showing up thing is about the dumbest thing I've heard today. Way to dork it up microsoft. I really hope this doesn't make the game uncool if the movie sucks.

It would have to be really hyped and bomb badly,
the 2 painfully average resident evil movies did not hurt the series much.

Edit:
To whoever said it would be better off as a animated movie, I tottally agree.

 

[DopeyFish]

I can see an average movie coming from this.

some creative control, but they are still forced to use the halo bible i think.

i think it's meant alteration in the script so it doesn't suck.

 

[xsarien]

that master chief showing up thing is about the dumbest thing I've heard today.

I've already delcared it the dumbest thing I've heard all year, and it's only June.

As a result, the auction Microsoft had hoped for never materialized. Within 24 hours of reading the script, based on the game about an alien universe, five studios dropped out of the bidding, including DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures. The two that remained, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures, balked at the price.

I love it when massive egos are checked. Bidding? Please. Perhaps Microsoft hasn't noticed how poorly movies based on video games do.

 

[Particle Physicist]

the story is so generic though. i cant say im looking forward to this.

 

[IJoel]

I find the Halo world quite compelling, and I can imagine a great Halo movie based on the events on Reach (a prequel to the games.) That said, the probability of this occurring is quite small. I wish they had a credible and competent director behind it. Of course, this could happen, but I wonder what director would be interested.

 

[tetsuoxb]

I've already delcared it the dumbest thing I've heard all year, and it's only June.

No shit.

Teh Funny am cry.

That sentence is ironic if and only if it is worded like this -

I've already delcared it the dumbest thing of the year, and it's only June.

 

[dorio]

That's cool that they got the guy from 28 days later. That guy is good.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I'm curious as to what point in the Halo timeline it will be set. To make it appealing they have to tell a new story, but there's a crapload of backstory, both in the games and EU, to cover. Me, I'd love to see a movie made out of The Fall of Reach.

 

[xsarien]

No shit.

Teh Funny am cry.

That sentence is ironic if and only if it is worded like this -

I've already delcared it the dumbest thing of the year, and it's only June.

I'm not declaring it the dumbest thing of the year on any scale other than my own personal one. On 31 Dec., I'll submit it to the World Idiocy Panel and let them decide if it's the dumbest thing all year.

 

[Odnetnin]

That's cool that they got the guy from 28 days later. That guy is good.

the dude with the C name? He's in the new WES CRAVEN shlock feature RED EYE. You should check out the trailer. :lol its so many shades of funny. Especially how it all pans out.

 

[FitzOfRage]

Holy shit I thought the dressing up as MC was a joke :lol I didn't think they actually did it.

Their 'demands' don't seem terribly outrageous though. Maybe too much for the rights, but approval of director and cast I'd expect from Microsoft/Bungie and their baby cashcow. The wrong combo could ruin the series' name.

Well I can imagine a movie studio feeeling they have a better sense of what that right combination might be. It could end up like the old adage of giving them enough rope to hang themselves (not unlike Square with FF:TSW).

 

[sangreal]

If they release Summer 2006 they'll be crushed by The Da Vinci code on Memorial Day and Superman in June. They'd be very smart to hold out for a August release.

Same goes for 2007 where it'd be destroyed by Spider-Man 3, Indiana Jones, and Shrek 3.

July is a bigger movie month than August. Also, to be a real blockbuster a movie must appeal to a wide demographic, which I'm not sure Da Vinci code will. Even if it does score huge, modern blockbusters are very very frontloaded (see: SW Episode 3) and don't dominate more than a week or two after release. Even when they have great legs, they don't necessarily impact the competition. Look at Shrek 2. It opened on May 21 and became the 3rd highest grossing (domestic) movie of all time. Yet 3 weeks later Harry Potter 3 opened with a 90M+ bow and went on to earn ~250M. For a more recent example, look again at SW Ep3. Despite its huge opening, two movies were able to score $60M each on memorial day weekend the following week. Fast foward another week, and they both have a higher weekend than SW.

cliffs: The only problem will be if they launch the same weekend as another blockbuster.


That being said, I doubt Halo has the appeal to be very successful as a movie.

 

[sangreal]

the dude with the C name? He's in the new WES CRAVEN shlock feature RED EYE. You should check out the trailer. :lol its so many shades of funny. Especially how it all pans out.

He means the writer, Alex Garland.

 

[Fifty]

They wouldn't give the proposal until the executives that were handed the script finished it? What are the odds some of them just closed their door, came out 5 minutes later and asked for the damn propsal. No wonder so many studios backed out.

 

[Dragmire]

This sounds like the kind of shitty Hollywood summer flick I can't stand. I could be wrong, but the last time Hollywood did sci-fi right was....




.... um....

 

[GhaleonEB]

This sounds like the kind of shitty Hollywood summer flick I can't stand. I could be wrong, but the last time Hollywood did sci-fi right was....




.... um....

....anytime James Cameron touches the genre.

 

[john tv]

Do we really need a Halo movie? :/

 

[Ramirez]

A Halo movie done right would be badass,so yes,we do

 

[StRaNgE]

If they release Summer 2006 they'll be crushed by The Da Vinci code on Memorial Day and Superman in June. They'd be very smart to hold out for a August release.

Same goes for 2007 where it'd be destroyed by Spider-Man 3, Indiana Jones, and Shrek 3.

Hell yes!!!
who is playing superman and indiana jones?
tell me they got Harrison ford?


what the hell is the Da Vinci code?

and any word yet if spiderman 3 is going to have Venom ???

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I can only see a Halo movie being good (and fair to the existing game series) if it's based on the books. Starting with The Fall of Reach would be a good first film and would be more interesting to fans of the game as it helps to demystify and make human good ol' Master Chief.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Do we really need a Halo movie? :/

Nope. Not when I've got this.

If they can top the feeling of dread in this one , then go for it. But I'm very doubtful.

 

[DopeyFish]

I can only see a Halo movie being good (and fair to the existing game series) if it's based on the books. Starting with The Fall of Reach would be a good first film and would be more interesting to fans of the game as it helps to demystify and make human good ol' Master Chief.

books were awful.

Based on the games please.

 

[Xenon]

My dream would be MS getting Pixar to do this as their first realistic CG film =D

 

[GhaleonEB]

books were awful.

Based on the games please.

The Flood was awful. Fall of Reach and First Strike both abosolutely rocked.

 

[Ramirez]

Books were awful?They absolutely destroyed the game stories :lol

 

[Rorschach]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Within 24 hours of reading the script, based on the game about an alien universe, five studios dropped out of the bidding, including DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures. The two that remained, 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures, balked at the price.

This could be MS' The Spirits Within.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.



This could be MS' The Spirits Within.

They were given the terms right after reading the script. The terms were, shall we say, unreasonable.

 

[DopeyFish]

The Flood was awful. Fall of Reach and First Strike both abosolutely rocked.

No. All 3 books sucked.

Too much jumping around. All the other spartans were retarded sissies. First strike really led up to halo 2 in such an uninspiring way.

It's like removing as much awe, mystery and stripping away everything else that made the halo storyline kick ass and the result being the books.

Wanna know what led into Halo 2 in a good way? With an awesome story? I love bees. Now THAT what a good set of stories. Not these books that shamefully hold the Halo name.

 

[GhaleonEB]

No. All 3 books sucked.

Too much jumping around. All the other spartans were retarded sissies. First strike really led up to halo 2 in such an uninspiring way.

It's like removing as much awe, mystery and stripping away everything else that made the halo storyline kick ass and the result being the books.

Wanna know what led into Halo 2 in a good way? With an awesome story? I love bees. Now THAT what a good set of stories. Not these books that shamefully hold the Halo name.

Yikes, I disagree with pretty much everthing you just wrote. I Love Bees story did rock, though. The books added so much character, background and motivation to the universe, and the "jumping around" is EXACTLY what Halo 2 did, so it's a little contradictory to praise one and not the other.

No accounting for taste, etc.

 

[Ghost]

The books were good for what they were, Halo universe filler, but they arent great pieces of Sci-fi writing.



This movie is gonna blow, and most likely kill Halo as a franchise (or at least damage it).

 

[∀ Narayan]

No. All 3 books sucked.

Too much jumping around. All the other spartans were retarded sissies. First strike really led up to halo 2 in such an uninspiring way.

It's like removing as much awe, mystery and stripping away everything else that made the halo storyline kick ass and the result being the books.

Wanna know what led into Halo 2 in a good way? With an awesome story? I love bees. Now THAT what a good set of stories. Not these books that shamefully hold the Halo name.

ILB was good, but Bungie failed in following through with that as well.

 

[DopeyFish]

ILB was good, but Bungie failed in following through with that as well.

The ILB story, much like the books... weren't done by bungie at all.

 

[teepo]

am i the only one noticing how early they're starting the movie hype and how fast it's actually happening? at first bungie said they'll only allow a halo movie to happen if ridley scott directs it and now we just find out they've been writting a script for awhile now. very smart microsoft, very very smart.

 

[Drexon]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.



This could be MS' The Spirits Within.

:lol

 

[Pudding Tame]

I'd start the movie with a quick prolouge explaining the war with the Covenant and start the story just before the fall of Reach (the event, not the book) and probably end after the destruction of Halo when MC finds other survivors.

Of course for a 2 hour movie thats a lot of stuff to cram in.

 

[bbyybb]

Am i the only one seeing this movie being of Battlefield Earth quality tanking

I dont know, just thinking about having a character that you 'never' see at all in the game always in the suit etc. I cringe at the thought of this.


Cheers,
bbyybb.