Neill Blomkamp's career was supposed to take off when he agreed to direct the a Halo movie. When the film was eventually scrapped, however, the South African director garnered acclaim for "District 9," which garnered an Academy Award nomination for best picture. Now it appears Blomkamp is back to where his career got started, however, as he's reportedly directing the Halo television series pilot.
Latino Review states that "trusted sources" has told it Blomkamp will be directing the show's first episode, though it doesn't elaborate on whether he's already signed a contract or is simply in talks to direct. Blomkamp has familiarity with the franchise beyond the failed movie, as he directed "Halo: Landfall," a live-action short film to promote "Halo 3."
Microsoft announced the Halo TV series alongside the Xbox One on May 21, with Steven Spielberg appearing via taped message to support the show, which he'll be producing. The show marks Microsoft's first major foray into original content for its Xbox consoles and services, though the company is expected to announce several other original shows, movies and documentaries to support its Xbox line.
Little is actually known about the Halo TV series, though Nancy Tellem, president of Xbox Entertainment Studios, stated in July that the show will have interactive features "from the beginning."
The Halo movie was reportedly killed because of extreme contract requirements set by Microsoft, and there's no indication that the franchise will make its way to theaters anytime soon. For Blomkamp, however, the failure meant he was able to direct "District 9," which was based on his short film "Alive in Joberg." Blomkamp is next directing "Chappie," a sci-fi comedy set for 2015.
Source: Latino Review | Image via Sony Pictures
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