Sony, Paramount and... Microsoft?

This just in! Microsoft is developing their Halo film script in house, hoping to avoid the ruination of other video-game-to-movie adaptations at the hands of the studios.

Microsoft has quietly put the finishing touches on a million-dollar deal to hire Alex Garland, writer of Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic thriller "28 Days Later" and Gen X travel novel "The Beach," to adapt the games into one movie.

Garland's screenplay will then be offered to studios as a complete "turnkey" script and rights package.

This strategy, insiders say, is the handiwork of ex-Columbia Pictures prexy Peter Schlessel, who ankled the studio to become a producer just over a two years ago. He is expected to serve as a producer in some capacity on the "Halo" film.

Deal was confirmed by Creative Artists AgencyCreative Artists Agency, which reps both Microsoft's game division and Garland.

Variety.com - Halo, Hollywood [expensive reg. req.]

It's about time that the video game industry, which by all accounts is larger than the film industry (by a billion dollars or more) started calling the shots. I doubt they'll have a track record that's any better than Hollywood. A good story is a good story. But a good film story is not necessarily a good video game plot -- and vice versa.

Visually at least, Halo, with its rather anonymous mech armor, seems better suited to the machinema satire of Red vs. Blue than as a Tom Cruise vehicle.

I'll be watching this one closely.