M$ has probably theorized that having big name actors in a video game movie will attract audiences who usually don’t care for that kind of genre. Unfortunately, that’s the kind of mistake that every other producer has made when making video game cross-overs. Big name actors in a niche movie can kill it faster than a headshot to a grunt. It looks awkward, it looks staged, and it looks forced. Keep the big name actors where they belong - in the tabloids and in “blockbuster” movies that appeal to the simple masses.

Leave the niche SF movies to the professional geeks and actors who’ll invest in the character rather than their own ego.

/two cents

Lets face it, we would never agree on who should play MC, especially if Steve Downs isn’t the main voice. Sgt. johnson could be done by Samuel Jackson, but really, I’d rather have the Sarge’s voice. Cortana doesn’t amtter, she’s Ai anyway, so that Jen chick could play her part regardless. Although Michael Moore could pull off a Brute pretty well. Still, CGI is the better idea in retrospect. When will more details be released?

You want to make a movie that is based on a game that can convert people to it. I love role playing games and such, but Final Fantasy never intrigued me. Maybe that is why I didnt like the movie the first time around. This time when I watched it I watched it just for the CGI effects and I tried to imagine what Halo would be like this way.

The movie was on early in the morning, and I must say that there were times when I thought that it was a real movie with real actors. The CGI looked that good. I believe that the movie was released in 2001. I imagine that it took a year or two to make it, so that means that CGI has had 6 or 7 years to progress and improve. The more that I think about it this is the way that the Halo movie has to be done. CGI 100%. Sky Captain Green Screen style might work but I will perfer CGI. I would hate for it to be done half and half with live acting and CGI. It would probably end up like those Scooby Doo Movies.

I’m glad you brought this up, though. It kind of makes me backtrack my earlier thoughts of making Halo all CGI. Perhaps it would be better if the movie was done with, for the most part, real people and then have an all green screen background like Sky Captian and the World of Tomorrow, which had no sets built whatsoever. At the same time, I have no wish for Vin Diesel to play the lead role, unless he keeps his helmet on and they use… (crap, forgot his name) the voice of the MC for the game. But, Vin Diesel has a chip on his shoulder that may not allow that to happen. Guess we’ll see.

Regardless, they could still do Cortana as CGI and still have her voice as well, annoying as it is. I guess we’ll see how this pans out.

What about the director? Any news yet on him?

CGI has gotten to the point where it looks extremely realistic. Case in point- Transformers, GI Joe Movie, Final Fantasy, etc. If they go CGI then I think that you have to go with the original voices from the game. It only makes sense. It would be too weird to hear the voice of Viggo Mortensen coming out of Master Chief’s helmet.
That being said, if they do decide to go live action than I think none other than the Transporter Jason Statham should be the go to guy. I have seen the Transporter and I look forward to the sequel. Mr Statham is very athletic, he has that certain attitude and voice that would be fun to watch as he pulversies any who oppose him. Of course, what are the chances that we are even going to see what Master Chief looks like. In that case they could hire some nobody actor to walk around in the suit and then do a voice over, ala Star Wars (Darth Vader - James Earl Jones, Darth Maul-, etc).
I forget how tall Master Chief is, isn’t he like 7 feet or something? Well then, they should go after Shaquille O’ Neal or Yao Ming, I don’t think that Shawn Bradley is doing anything right now.

All in all I am in no hurry to see the movie. They should take their time, and they should realize that we have other things in the future to tide us over until the movie will be released (XBOX 360 93 Days Away)

As for actors, well , this will hit a nerve with lots of people. I have heard ample anti-Vin Diesel sentiment for him playing the role. Jason Stathom is pretty cool, and I just saw the trailer for Transporter 2, and it looks like a good action flic (and if you haven’t seen Transporter yet, check it out). Lots of Halo fans think that it should all be done in CGI, using the voices we are familiar with. I happen to agree. I’ll proffer this: if Ben Afflect is in this film at all, I will divest my allegence with Bungie, unless he is a member of the Covenant forces who gets owned by Chief. Throw J. Lo in there too.

As for M$ keeping their fingers in on it, well, sounds like they are actually trying to keep the fans pleased (and they say M$ doesn’t care about anyone). Not sure if what they are asking is too much, but hopefully one of the studios is willing to carry the contract. If it never goes to film, I will not be too disappointed considering the success of all the other games-to-movies before it. (Mario Bros, Mortal Combat, Street Fighter…).