With all the Halo movie on again/off again, maybe it’s on, “Maybe we’ll make it but only we know when” teasery that’s been going on for the last half decade or so, you’d think everyone would have just given up on the franchise that may still be minting million dollar bills, but whose momentum and fascination is fast drying up. Reality is that Halo‘s fanbase– bump from the upcoming Reach aside– has shifted into longtail.
Sure, there’s the hardcore Halo fan kingdom lead by Spartan Wannabe-0345 “Ralph”, but no matter how many times they’d pay to see the movie in the theater or how many times they flame this site, the Halo franchise is quickly exiting the public zeitgeist and diluting its own power. You need look no further than Doom (five years too late) or the Firefly Browncoats (we love our movie but we can’t make it profitable) to see the future state of Halo‘s franchise destiny and fans.
And while I’ve been an ardent defender of the Halo franchise and its potential for becoming a film, as Andy’s often said, that window is quickly closing. Still, I hope I’m wrong. Microsoft continues to fund live-action commercials highlighting various aspects of the Halo universe. Maybe rabid fans could splice those and loop them into a 90 minute feature at this point.
The latest entry? How to make your very own Spartan. Apparently, you climb onto a table, insert an 8-track of your favorite emo band and flex while a bunch of robotic needles squirt you full of Spartan juice. Sounds like Halo fan fic porn, but it’s true. Just watch:
4 comments On Kinda Trailer Tuesday: Making of a Spartan
I get pissy with Halo on a routine basis, but that short commercial just shows you the possibilities movie-wise. The window IS closing and Microsoft needs to get this rolling pronto.
BTW, so far I think the Halo: Reach BETA is pretty damn cool.
Window schmindow. How many of those turd-ridden Resident Evil movies have they made? Anyone who’s ever enjoyed playing Halo would see a Halo movie.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t be profitable if the budget was kept at modest RE/District 9 levels, but I think Doom is an apt example– that sucker was pared down on budget to the level of a SyFy channel “event”. And all the Halo fans in the world couldn’t push a Halo movie, especially as time goes on, toward profitability at the $125-150 million budget that was associated with the previous incarnation.
RE movies are made on the cheap for the cheap– that’s why they’re profitable and spawn sequels. If Halo can find that model, cashola. Halo will always have its fans, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s past its cultural/critical mass.
Agreed 100 percent, Dan. If they had moved with Jackson and Blonkamp, it would have hit at the proper time. But that time is passed and it probably will one day be created and be as nerdastic, yet lame, as Doom.
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