7. Halo
Halo has to be one of the greatest video game franchises in recent years. With one of the greatest stories ever written for a videogame, the idea of making a film based on this franchise should be a no-brainier. Neil Blomkamp, the renowned director of District 9 and the upcoming Elysium, was supposedly going to direct the film, and Peter Jackson was producing. In 2007, Blomkamp directed the short "Halo: Landfall" which kept people completely hyped; the movie felt so close at that point. However, things started looking very bleak when after that incredible short, nothing else was mentioned. Not a single thing. The last thing we knew was that the film was definitely put on hiatus, and that Neil Blomkamp won't direct. Terrible news for fans of the game all over the world.
So, What Happened? Neil Blomkamp recalled the pleasant production as "a clusterf**k from day one." Microsoft commissioned a script in 2005, it was very close to the source material, since the game executives supervised the writing of the script. Everything so far looked great, they even hired a bunch of guys to dress up like spartans and waited outside the office while the executives from several major studios read the script. Microsoft wanted to have full control of the film; supervising the production, creative control, director approval, etc. However, the problems started when Universal and Fox teamed up, partnering the movie, and with some smooth talk they managed to remove most of Microsoft's demands, including creative control and director approval. The studios wanted a more conventional approach and they felt that Blomkamp's unconventional approach to the film wasn't something usual in filmmaking. Blomkamp even said that he "would never work with Fox again" and that the only way he'll do the film is if they give him "some ungodly amount of money and absolute f***ing control." His words. In the end, the movie wasn't done. The project was cancelled and Blomkamp went on and directed the critically acclaimed District 9, which scored 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. I guess our loss is his gain.