We first had Fox and Universal pull a fast one on Bungie and Microsoft, but Bungie the gaming companies were unfazed; hell, they were downright positive about the loss of both studios.
So now Microsoft is looking for a new studio or studios to distribute and finance Halo. The only problem is that Microsoft isn't considered the most loved company among studios and pre-existing relationships may delay any new partnerships.
Microsoft Seeks New Studio for Halo
Variety recently released a report on the dilemmas Microsoft was having on getting a new studio to jump aboard Halo. Though most had figured the escalated budget to be the biggest barrier, it turns out that there is much more going on behind the scenes. What could be bigger than the budget? It would seem that some of the studios carry more baggage than my ex-girlfriends.
Let's take a look at some of the studios and why or why not they will jump aboard.
Sony/Columbia Pictures: Hell no, they hate Microsoft. Sony and Microsoft are direct rivals thanks to the Xbox and PS2/3 consoles and the last thing Sony wants to do is give Microsoft a 19% kick on a big-budget film. They are having a hard enough time seeding the consumer market with their Blu-ray DVD at the moment.
Disney/Touchstone/Miramax/Dimension: Unless Miramax or Dimension went behind Disney's back and offered a budget that seems well beyond their wallet size, these studios are out. Disney and Touchstone? No way. Microsoft's rivalry with Apple hurts any chance with Disney. Apple CEO Steve Jobs just happens to be Disney's largest individual shareholder and a Disney board member.
New Line: Well, at least this one isn't exactly Microsoft's fault. The studio is still engaged in a dispute with Halo producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh over proceeds on The Lord of the Rings. Haven't both parties made enough money on this franchise? Damn, let it go! If New Line ever gets full rights to The Hobbit, expect the studio to be much more willing to get things resolved with Jackson/Walsh.
Universal/Fox: Have you not been paying attention? Their shenanigans have caused their own departure from the project. Can they come back? Hmmm......
Warner Bros: One of the two best options. If there is one thing Warner Bros loves, it is fantasy franchises. The studio also has a knack for picking up franchises that already have a huge fan base, which Halo most certainly does. Warner Bros could also handle huge budgets -- just take a look at Superman Returns.
Paramount: The studio digs big-budget space adventures. They can also handle a big-budget film. If they can adapt Transformers, a cartoon whose fans are now 25 to 30 in age, they can easily do Halo.
Any other reason why studios would dodge Halo?
The directorial debut of Neill Blomkamp is a cause for concern; at least for the studios. To be honest, any fear here is completely unfounded. Neill Blomkamp has already created some impressive shit, and his style is a PERFECT fit for this franchise. New directors are no longer a bad thing. Take a look at 300's Zack Snyder. Warner Bros has been so impressed with the rookie director, that they have already picked him up for The Watchmen.
As a final option, easily doable by the way, is to have Microsoft finance and distribute the film themselves. This option guarantees the survival of the adaptation as the company has more than enough money to take the risk.
Add to Heffee!
