One of the most anticipated game-to-movie deals has been sealed as Microsoft has finalized the agreement with Fox and Universal that will bring the Master Chief to the big screen.
The two studios have agreed with Microsoft on a USD 5 million fee against 10 per cent of the gross for the property. Most of the details had been agreed on in June when MG first reported on the deal, but the issue resolved now was the more intricate one of creative control and Microsoft's input. MS agreed to back down from its initial demands for overall approval of the project and its details. Under the terms of the new agreement Universal and Fox will provide corrections to the current script, which Alex Garland (28 Days Later) will then rewrite.
The deal achieved means that MS will not have final approval on creative decisions, although it is vaguely mentioned that it will be consulted. This is alarming for fans of the game since MS will have no say over the director chosen, apparently the studios' next task, and the actors that will star.
The most worrying news for fans of the Halo game franchise however, comes from the news that Microsoft is already planning to have Halo 3 ready to release at the same time as the movie in order to optimize marketing potential; that would mean a 2007 release for both movie and game.
