Spielberg to produce Halo movie?

By Ellie Gibson Published 10 August, 2009

He is "blown away" by script, says report.

Steven Spielberg is in negotiations to develop a Halo movie, according to a report by IESB.

The report (as spotted by Kokugamer) states: "IESB has learned exclusively (believe me this is solid and I’ve confirmed it three times over with studio executives and our close ties to CAA) that one of the biggest producers in Hollywood history is currently in active negotiations to develop the feature film adaptation."

Jerry Bruckheimer? Peter Jackson? Uwe Boll? No: "It’s the man behind Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones and Transformers, Mr Steven Spielberg."

Apparently, "Spielberg is blown away by writer Stuart Beattie’s take on the game in his script entitled Halo The Fall of Reach. This coupled with the fact that his Dreamworks umbrella is looking for a big tent pole to help launch their newly independent studio with distribution over at Walt Disney Pictures after losing Transformers to Paramount in the separation, it’s the perfect combination."

Could be just a rumour of course, but it'd be nice to see the Halo movie project resurrected after Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp put the kaibosh on it last month. But who will play Master Chief? We vote Van Damme. Or Ben Fogle.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (52) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • AHiFi #1 3 years ago

    Woo, our site (Koku Gamer) being linked. =p Good news methinks. Say what you want about him, but you can't deny his passion.

  • JensonJet #2 3 years ago

    And there was me thinking MICHAEL BAY directed Transformers!

    Anyway, he's so 'blown away' by the script he's not going to direct! Hmmm... must be amazing!! Maybe they'll do exactly what Hollywood loves doing with masked/helmetted hero's, and remove Master Chief's helmet within 10 minutes of the movie to reveal some overpaid movie star who's managed to ruin many number of previous films. I think I'll wait for the next Police Academy movie!

  • Xerx3s #3 3 years ago

    Fall of Reach? Yes please.

  • Xerx3s #4 3 years ago

    JensonJet: producing != directing.

  • AphoticCosmos #5 3 years ago

    'Cor blimey.

  • PearOfAnguish #6 3 years ago

    After everyone sees District 9 they will want nobody but Neil Blomkamp to be in charge of this.

  • Apaar #7 3 years ago

    "Maybe they'll do exactly what Hollywood loves doing with masked/helmetted hero's, and remove Master Chief's helmet within 10 minutes of the movie"

    Well, should the film be based on the novel Fall of Reach, then it is inevitable John 117 will be without his helmet for pretty much the majority of the movie. They would also need several actors to play the role of the Chief, from a 6-year old kid, up to him being the leader of all Spartans.
    Edited by 1 at 10/08/09 @ 09:09

  • Shadders #8 3 years ago

    I'm actually getting the horn over this news! AMAZING!

    :-D

  • Fab4 #9 3 years ago

    Lets hope its nothing like 'Blown Away'. I still have nightmares about the Irish accents in that.

  • JensonJet #10 3 years ago

    Who's John 117? Actually don't answer that, I fear the answer's something of a fanboy's wetdream! I think I'm a little old for those games! As for a movie – they can pay whoever they like to be a producer, attaching a famous director doesn't mean anything to me!

  • Shadders #11 3 years ago

    "Who's John 117?"

    It's Master Chief, you didn't think his actual name was "Mr. Master Chief" did you? That would be silly.

  • layleeloo #12 3 years ago

    I hope not. Best bit of news I'd heard was that the Halo film project was being scrapped. Im not a Halo fanboy, nor am I a hater - I have played through them all but lets face it - all game films are pants (unless you have holly valance in next to nothing of course haha) so this can only be pants no matter who does it. Plus it will never please the fanboys as it will never fit their vision or ideology of the game.

  • Yossarian #13 3 years ago

    This game has a slightly smaller chance of being pants, as it has the involvement of good scriptwriters, and Bungie, in the process. One of the main reasons the previous deal collapsed is because the studios wanted more creative control than MS were willing to give them.

  • ChaK #14 3 years ago

    blown away by script? -_-

    It's halo...

  • captainrentboy #15 3 years ago

    Spielberg producing whilst someone like Uwe Boll is directing will still result in a fackin' awful film. Spielberg produced Transformers 2, and that film made me sad.

  • MaxiSleep #16 3 years ago

    But who will play Master Chief? We vote Van Damme.

    Surely he would be Master Chef?

  • JensonJet #17 3 years ago

    Shadders, I really didn't give his name a second's thought. I played the third one through once... that was enough. Only got an hour into the second. Don't worry though, I'm aware that Master Chief is a rank rather than a name! My life feels a little more fulfilled now I know Halo man is called Mr 117. I'm guessing he was born on, or abandoned as a baby on a 117 London bus!!!

  • mrmonkey1980 #18 3 years ago

    Halo is incredibly average in every respect, but with a little bit of old Speilberg magic (if he has any left) the movie might be worth watching at least.

  • Shadders #19 3 years ago

    @JensonJet

    Don't be silly! He's called John117 because he's teh one hundred and seventeenth person in his family to be called John, you know , like Henry VIII or Elizabeth II.

    It's John CXVII

    :)

  • Eraysor #20 3 years ago

    Well, the book was great, so I hope they don't ruin it in film form.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #21 3 years ago

    Wow, this is great news. Maybe Jackson and Spielberg being bezzie mates meant he told him it'd be a good idea? Hopefully he won't get the largely craptacular Michael Bay to direct it, but still, good news all round a mon avis.
    Edited by 1 at 10/08/09 @ 11:19

  • actionfitz #22 3 years ago

    well they managed to get through all of V for Vendetta without ever showing Hugo Weavings' face - I know many prob hate that movie but I digress...
    All they need is someone with a distinctive voice, and then just get some stuntman to prance around in the armour :p

  • schnide #23 3 years ago

    "..one of the biggest producers in Hollywood history.."

    Jerry Bruckheimer? Peter Jackson? Uwe Boll? No: Mr Steven Spielberg."

    Only Bruckheimer here is primarily a producer. And bear in mind this particular Spielberg hasn't done anything decent for some time now.

  • Gearskin #24 3 years ago

    War of the Worlds? Munich?

    Speilberg is one of the best in the industry, he always tops lists. The guy changes the face of things. His CV is incredible.

  • TriggerHippie #25 3 years ago

    Wish he'd changed the face of that recent Indy attempt.

  • Eraysor #26 3 years ago

    War of the Worlds was just watching some kids and a scientologist run away/hide for two hours.

  • GamesConnoisseur #27 3 years ago

    Ah! 117th in the cloning/genetic implants black project is why he got 117 for his name! If movie is based on book then yes no helmet most of the time!

  • Thalanos #28 3 years ago

    It's a shame Neil Blomkamp isn't involved anymore. His trailers for District 9 look incredible.

    I'm not that excited to hear Senor Spielbergo is producing. If you look at his production track record (discounting the films he directs) it's not particularly great.

  • JensonJet #29 3 years ago

    A clone! That's an original idea! Brilliant. Then I expect Mr 117 could be played by... Christian Bale. After all, he'll make any movie if you pay him enough. And he could bring along his old directing mate McG. Although Halo probably deserves Uwe Boll to be honest. Either way, I'm painting a wall the night it's on at the cinema. And I'm taking a dog for a walk the night it's on TV. And my DVD player will break down the night a friend wants to lend it to me. And I've got a nasty case of swine flu the day anyone attempts to show me.... bring on the minus ones fanboys!!

  • Gearskin #30 3 years ago

    Noone can dispute his box office draw or critical acclaim. Noone. And for all the people who didn't like the last Indy flick... alot of people did. Both critically and commercially.
    Edited by 1 at 10/08/09 @ 11:40

  • Freek #31 3 years ago

    Could be good, could be pointless. His involvement in the Transformers films didn't help at all.

  • homerbert #32 3 years ago

    @ JensenJet: Other things Spielberg liked the script for but chose to direct rather than produce...
    Back to the Future, Goonies, Gremlins, Men In Black, Rainman, Flags of Our Fathers, Men in Black, Animaniacs and Band of Brothers.

    That's not to say he hasnt made some terrible shit like Transformers 2. Just noting that he has a history of liking scripts but not directing them because there aren't enough hours in the day, or he isn't the right guy.

    Eoin

  • Pasco #33 3 years ago

    JensonJet, congratulations on being a much better person than fanboys and writing really witty comments. Your life must be so fulfilled that I envy you ...and love you at the same time. Please, undress yourself now so that I can show you my love and reward your wittiness or something.

  • belziah #34 3 years ago

    More chance he was "blown off" while reading the script.

  • Mashum #35 3 years ago

    Tom Cruise as John 117 and Queen Latifa as Cortana, the A.I. who teaches him to love again.

    If Spielberg was directing that would be great news but as others have said he will produce any old massively expensive blockbuster that comes his way nowadays.

  • Entity #36 3 years ago

    Master Chiefs dad leaves home when he's young...
    *cue rest of film built around that*

  • TriggerHippie #37 3 years ago

    "he will produce any old massively expensive blockbuster that comes his way nowadays"

    Well he needs the income after someone Madoff with his cash.

  • Jamiesan #38 3 years ago

    Even if you don't like halo (but took the time to read a halo related comments thread) I'd recommend reading the books, especially the fall of reach. nice bit of sci-fi set waaay before the games, and you'll see why all the fans got semis over a halo:reach trailer in which nothing is even announced.

    and master chief is NOT a clone, lol

  • schnide #39 3 years ago

    @Entity

    I think I got that reference.. Tom Cruise for Master Chief!

    Master Chief has issues with his Dad then he's accused of a crime he didn't commit and then.. he runs ;)

  • RedSparrows #40 3 years ago

    'blown away by script? -_-

    It's halo...'

    Yes, and that means the script for the film can't impress someone why? Even if Halo is standard sci-fu schlock, it doesn't mean a film script for it can't be impressive to some. OHDEARPEDANTALERT. It was worth it.

  • comissars_handgun #41 3 years ago

    Why do they keep making game movies out of games that are primarily action based? The first Halo had a good plot, but let's be honest, the reason it was good was the action, not the storyline. I'm not bashing Halo, very few games have a good plot.

    When I think of Halo I think of the Master Chief wandering around various installations wasting aliens- fun in a game but it would be very boring in a movie.

    Plus Mr 117 seems like a solitary type, are they going to give him some lame sidekick or just have him talking to himself to explain the plot? The more I think about it the worse this project seems.

  • Shadders #42 3 years ago

    @commissar\'s_handgun

    I take your point that the games may not translate well to cinema, but that isn't the case here. Fall of Reach begins about 40 years before Halo:CE and details the lives of Master Chief (John 117) and the other spartans as they go from little kids (6 yo) right the way through to young adults and the start of the Covenant war.

    It's a brilliant book and really is ideal for a cinema adaptation. Anyone who's read it will agree.

  • Entity #43 3 years ago

    "Master Chief has issues with his Dad then he's accused of a crime he didn't commit and then.. he runs ;)"
    Not run. Flying through the sky on a bike(warthog bike)

  • Shadders #44 3 years ago

    I read that as "Master Chief has issues with his Dpad" and got all confused. :D

  • Lamb #45 3 years ago

    Yeah its Schindler's List meets Rambo! :p :D

  • espibara #46 3 years ago

    Untill i sit in a cinema and the title HALO comes up on screen its all BULLSHIT!

  • EggyDeth #47 3 years ago

    OK, but Spielberg also liked the Indy IV script, or at least won't say anything bad about it in public.

    Good Spielberg = awesome, Bad Spielberg = ...

    ... still quite good, but very disappointing.

  • JensonJet #48 3 years ago

    scuffpuppy, calm down kid. Just made a few sarcastic comments and expressed an opinion or two. Oddly enough, being a fan of some games, coming from England and having an opinion, I clearly mistakenly thought the Eurogamer forum was perfectly suited to my needs. I must've missed the small print that said I also had to adore Halo and never say anything negative or slightly sarcastic about it. Good job you're around to correct my mistake. I'll try and get excited about a future Halo film now!!!

    Wow, Pasco, I really don't know how you read all that about me within a few sarcastic lines I wrote about your favourite love in life! Calm down. There are more important issues to worry about and get upset with than someone making a few comments you disagree with about a movie that doesn't exist based on a videogame! Please accept my deep, sincere and most humble apology for daring to speak in a negative tone about the mightly Halo. I'm sure the movie will attract Hollywood's finest and sweep up a dozen oscars and spawn many a sequel. Or maybe one day, when you've got over the game, you'll realise just how much you're overreacting.

  • Bazfrag #49 3 years ago

    The guy scripted G.I Joe. Speilberg must sit down for breakfast and be "blown away" by the writing on the back of his Frosties.

  • Bazfrag #50 3 years ago

    @ Jensonjet. Don't fret. They've been giving out free sense of humour bypasses with every XBL gold subscription!

  • Pasco #51 3 years ago

    Jenson, who said I care about Halo or the Halo movie?

  • mega7ech #52 3 years ago

    Jensonjet I'll say it for everyone - your a cock! The End.