The Peek: District 9

A while back, I posted about my extreme interest in the feature film debut of Neill Blomkamp, a movie called District 9. Knowing that Peter Jackson is producing it, and having seen the short films based in the Halo universe that Blomkamp did, I’m counting the days until the film is released on August 14th.

Finally, a full official trailer has been released! I just watched it, and it is really cool – I think it’ll really capture people who don’t know what it is beforehand off guard.

Check out the trailer – are you getting psyched to see this?

+ Goodchild's previous posts on District 9 and Neil Blomkamp

- Goodchild

Sphere: Related Content

Blomkamp (Part III)

www.d-9.com

(continued from part II)

And while we’re on the subject, is the idea of a HALO movie even a good one? To be honest, fan of the series though I may be, I don’t believe that it is a smart move. Counting only the 3 original Bungie-made HALO games (HALO: Combat Evolved, HALO 2, and HALO 3), which all follow the same central characters and story, there is a wealth of plot there that could not possibly be transferred to a 2 or 2.5 hour movie. Wouldn’t a better idea be something along the lines of a mature animated series on HBO? Think back to HBO’s SPAWN animated series and you’ll see where I’m going with this.

With an animated series, all the original voice talent could reprise their roles in order to keep the “authenticity” fans would be looking for. It would also keep costs down from a huge budget film, and more of the story could be left intact – for example, a single movie probably wouldn’t “humanize” our alien enemy as the story in HALO 2 did, taking time to show the fall of a once proud warrior, his one chance at redemption, and or the way his entire race was betrayed and excommunicated from their religion. An animated series, on the other hand, would be able to go into these details.

Of course, another question still remains: Do people really want to watch something that they’ve already watched AND played through? Video game movies don’t always do so well at the box office – sure, one of the main reasons is because they’re never any good, but maybe there’s more to it …

In any case, District 9 and its odd marketing has me interested as hell, and I can’t wait to get more information on it. And if anyone figures out everything on the website, drop a line and let me know! goodchild@highlark.com

Next Big Viral: Neil Blomkamp's District 9 [FirstShowing.net]

- Goodchild

Sphere: Related Content

Blomkamp (Part II)

(continued from Part I)

So, fans everywhere thought this proof positive that a HALO movie was in the works. And, of course, deals were being made … eventually, a writer was hired to pen the script, and the Jackson producing / Blomkamp directing / WETA engineering team was signed on. But no one could agree on anything, funding fell through, and the project remains in limbo.

So, what have this team been up to since they aren’t working on this? We’re all about to find out. Blomkamp’s feature length debut, District 9, is on track to release later this year (scheduled for August 14th, 2009). A viral marketing campaign by Sony, who is putting the film out, has already begun – check out http://www.d-9.com. Remember, if you’re a human, only click where you’re supposed to!

Now, I’m very interested in this project. The HALO shorts were cool enough that I’d be willing to plunk my money down to see Blomkamp’s film. And with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Dead Alive, and Heavenly Creatures under his belt, I’ll trust Peter Jackson enough that if he says “Blomkamp’s my man for this”, well then how can it go wrong?

Thing is, people are already saying that this film is merely a means of getting a big budget sci-fi movie under Blomkamp’s belt so that studios won’t be so nervous about giving him the money he needs to do HALO. And, if this is simply a “Look, I can do it!” type deal, will it truly live up to the hype, or be a rush job?

(to be continued)

Peter Jackson to Produce District 9 [About.com]

- Goodchild

Sphere: Related Content

Blomkamp (Part I)

Did you see that?

So, around the time that HALO 3 was coming out, we (the ever-consuming public) were practically assaulted at almost every turn by advertising for the game, and also by its many tie-ins in other media. Some of these tie-ins were pretty poor, and nothing but the horrid byproduct of a marketing meeting conducted by the foulest of all creatures, the faceless, soulless suits of ad agency executives (I’m looking at you, HALO themed slurpee at 7-11). Others, however, had some real merit.

Something called HALO: ARMS RACE popped up on the internet, and on Xbox Live for download. It was a very short “film”, not even 5 minutes long. It was a live action gear-up for the war humanity had to look forward to with the alien race of the Covenant in the upcoming game. It showed a large human battle (space)ship moving through the atmosphere of our planet as it left dock. Soldiers were having their heads shaved, warthog jeeps were on the assembly line, thousands of battle rifles and pistols were being produced, all in preparation of “finishing the fight” in the third game of the successful trilogy.

What was this short, and who had made it? A quick answer would be that it is, like everybody’s favorite folk duo Flight Of The Conchords, from New Zealand. The short was directed by a man named Neil Blomkamp, was produced by Peter Jackson, and Jackson’s WETA studios had done the special effects. Wow. That’s a lot of firepower behind such a short piece …

But wait, there was more! Soon after, an actual short film (more than the first, which was ostensibly an ad), broken up into 2 parts, was released. For the first time, fans of the series got a glimpse of some real action in the HALO universe as it might look like in a movie, with a “story” that helped bridge the gap up to the beginning of the new game.

The film was pretty damn cool – while the sets were minimal, the cast small, and the actual substance of the project slight, it was totally amazing to see the power of the Brute hammer, the speed of the warthog, and Covenant banshees screaming past overhead. Oh, and the fact that a Brute got blown up by a rocket launcher didn’t hurt it.

(to be continued)

Halo's Arms Race, or when live-action is more dead than CGI [Joystiq]

- Goodchild

Sphere: Related Content