Barely a week after Universal and Fox pulled out of a co-financing and distribution deal for a movie based on Microsoft’s Halo video game franchise, word comes from producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh’s WingNut Films that the studio and Microsoft have jointly agreed to suspend work on a Halo feature film. A statement released by WingNut Films reads in part:
At this time Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, along with their partner, Microsoft, have mutually agreed to postpone making a feature film based on the Halo video game universe until we can fulfill the promise we made to millions of Halo fans throughout the world that we would settle for no less than bringing a first class film to the big screen. We are fully supportive of Director Neill Blomkamp’s vision of the film. Neill is a tremendously gifted filmmaker and his preliminary work on Halo is truly awe-inspiring. While it will undoubtedly take a little longer for Halo to reach the big screen, we are confident that the final feature film will be well worth the wait.
WingNut and Microsoft had previously stated they would move ahead with pre-production on the film while seeking new financing and distribution partners. Jackson, Walsh, and Microsoft have a separate agreement to work on future installments of the Halo video game franchise, as well as to produce an original game title for Microsoft.
