Microsoft Responds to ‘Halo’ News

Remember that news that came out about 72 hours ago stating that Universal and Fox had dropped out and will no longer be co-financing the feature film adaptation of the widely popular Microsoft game “Halo”? Well, “Halo” franchise creator, Bungie Studios, posted a statement from Microsoft relating to the news expressing their disappointment in the situation, yet they somehow remain optimistic. Below is the quote:

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 statement says that they are already in discussions with other potential partners, but if I recall back to June 2005, when the film was picked up by Fox and Uni reception to the script and its $10 million price tag was not met with open arms. In fact Variety is quoted saying that the script was “met with a lukewarm, underwhelming response from DreamWorks, New Line, Warner Bros. and most other studios that read it.” In fact, Universal and Fox only paid $5 million, not $10.

Who is looking at this project is unclear and obviously not going to be mentioned. I think it goes without saying that if Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh weren’t backing this bad boy we might not even be discussing it. Afterall, the Bungie statement ends saying, “Suffice it to say that Peter, Neill, Fran and Microsoft are as excited and dedicated as ever and WETA continues the pre-production process. Actually, when you do finally get to see the stuff WETA has already made, you will probably pee a little.”

Doubtful…

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