Halo movie resurrected by Gears of War writer

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 02 October 2008 11:02

Your IT - Entertainment

Story wise, Beatties vision is of a Halo prequel :

“The character doesn't start off as Master Chief.   He starts off as John, who's the kid that's kidnapped and told he's going to be a soldier.   Anyone can connect with a kid kidnapped from his own home. You're along for that journey.   The Covenant comes along halfway through that movie.   That gives you half the movie to really get to know everyone and care about everyone.” Beattie said. 

“And then”  Beattie continues ”when the Covenant come along,  it's the first time John sees a grunt or a jackal or an elite. The audience is trying to figure out everything at the same time as the characters are.   What are these aliens?   Why are they killing us?   What did we do?   And realizing it's all about this Halo ring.   And then ending the movie where the first game begins”

“I did a presentation package and contacted Microsoft and Bungie.   Joe Statton at Bungie (director of cinematics and writer of the three games) read it and loved it.   I wasn't part of the previous incarnation so I don't know what they did with that script. But the book they commissioned, Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nyland was a fantastic book.”

“We're now in discussions with Microsoft to see if we can get this made. I'm just a fan and I desperately want to see a Halo movie out there.”  Beattie concluded.

On the IMDB website Halo is listed as a 2009 title, it has Stuart Beattie as the script writer, though the status is labelled as “officially cancelled?”.