Is DreamWorks taking a stab at the Halo movie?

October 6th 2010, 7:06pm

The release of “Halo: Reach” has sparked back up talks on the video game getting the movie treatment.

Insiders for Vulture say that DreamWorks Pictures are going back for the rights and are wanting to revive the project. But why are they going after this again since it’s been in limbo since 2006? It might have something to do with the fact that “Halo: Reach” grossed $200 million the first day it was released. Still, Universal and Fox shelled out millions of dollars only to end up in the fail zone. Why would DreamWorks tempt fate?

The studio believes that the key is in focusing on the novelizations of the game as the basis for the plot. It might seem odd, but this is the best way for them to avoid a legal situation with Fox and Universal involving their own Halo development process (stalled or not). It just sounds like DreamWorks wants to put on a Halo project, but stay the eff away from the drama. But again, is this a good plan on their part?

Microsoft is being pretty protective of their baby though. They don’t want a movie fail to equal a decline in game sales. One source gave this remark, “It’s a gigantic waste of time, because [Microsoft] doesn’t want anything to happen in any other media that could screw up a multi-billion dollar franchise. Somebody has to be in control of a movie; it’s a director’s medium. But they’re completely averse to that. Because if Steven Spielberg fucks it up, what’s your recourse? So the rule is: ‘First, do no harm.’” Basically it comes down to the fact that if the project even make Microsoft slightly uneasy, that shit is going back into development hell to rot for all time.

Stuart Beattie (G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA) had the job last year to script the film. Beattie confirmed that he did an adaptation of “Halo: The Fall of Reach” in 2007. He recently told Vulture this, “I’m just a huge fan and my long-term goal is to get three Halo movies [based on the three novelizations] made. It’s not something I can accomplish tomorrow. But if I can help, I am glad to do it.” No telling if the guy will still be on it now that DreamWorks is taking on the task. Would Steven Spielberg’s slap on it guarantee a promising venture?

We’ll just have to see. Until then it’s more waiting.