Halo: The Movie…Again?

Once left for dead in the cold, murky depths of development hell, the Halo movie was seemingly destined to become a forgotten project lost in the bowels of Hollywood. Fanboys wept knowing that it would slowly sink into obscurity, left to the wolves that would one day potentially do nothing more than produce a film of epic suck-age. Yet one Hollywood-Halo­ fan bravely reached down into the mire with hope to breathe new life into this allegedly dead and abandoned project.

Screenplay writer Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean, G.I. Joe) has taken steps to ensure that Halo reaches the big screen. Presumably dissatisfied with the current status of the project (that being dead, which is my guess), Beattie has taken up arms…er…pens, and has written his own screenplay based off the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach in an attempt to revive the project. And he did so for free.

Those of you who have read and are familiar with the novel already have an idea what direction this could possibly take the film’s story. The first iteration of the Halo movie script, penned by screenplay writer Alex Garland (Sunshine, 28 Days Later), centered more on the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Beattie’s script however, would revolve more around the Chief, his training as well as the other Spartan soldiers, and the eventual confrontation with the Covenant.

What I find most interesting, though, is the possible “focus-shift” that Master Chief would undergo during the film. Initially the main character, the Chief’s role would eventually transition to more of a symbolic character, with the spotlight shifting to those around him and their efforts to aid him in the war against the Covenant. Think of the ad campaign used for Halo 3 or watch the Halo short, Halo: Landfall, and you’ll get an idea of what I mean. And considering how awesome the Halo: Landfall short was, I could easily see this working for the film.

Though the Halo movie may be considered officially dead by some in Hollywood, optimism is still abound. With script in tow, coupled with concept art by Kasra Farahani, hopefully Beattie’s version along with an apparent enthusiasm may impress the bigwigs at Microsoft enough to remove the Halo movie from stand-by mode. Microsoft need only to realize this project is not as dead as many feel it to be. Until we hear otherwise, it’ll be a cliffhanger on par with Halo 2’s.

(Concept art courtesy of latinoreview.com)