Remember the Halo movie? We were supposed to have one years ago, with Peter Jackson producing and a then-unknown filmmaker named Neill Blomkamp (Elysium) directing. That project was ultimately canceled, with Blomkamp eventually launching his feature film career with the original sci-fi hit District 9As negative as that experience sounds, Blomkamp later said he feels lucky to have gone through such a valuable learning experience.

Just when we thought we'd never see a live-action adaptation of Halo, the free web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn made the possibility seem viable again, and Microsoft announced during the unveiling of their new XBox One console that Steven Spielberg would produce a live-action Halo series, which reportedly will not be exclusively available via the new console.

This was heartening news for Halo fans hoping to see the big screen adventures of Master Chief, but it's been nearly a year since that announcement, and the only news on this front has been the confusing rumor that a Ridley Scott-produced Halo movie might happen - of course, this rumor has since been refuted by Microsoft.

Now, according to a "trusted source" at Latino Review, the Halo TV series pilot now has a director: Neill Blomkamp, apparently coming full circle back to the property he was originally meant to help launch. We need to stress that this is a rumor from an unnamed source… but it does make a certain amount of sense.

Elysium director Neil Blomkamp to make Chappie

If this is true, it could be a real coup for Microsoft in the realm of original XBox One programming. Blomkamp was responsible for the 2007 live-action short films, released to promote the release of the Halo 3 video game. And although his Halo movie didn't happen, District 9 put him on the map, making him a name to watch in science fiction. Last year's Elysium wasn't the major blockbuster hit many were expecting, and while it couldn't earn back its production budget in the U.S., its worldwide total box-office cracked $286 million.

Blomkamp's next film project is the sci-fi comedy Chappie, which is slated for a 2015 release, and given the extensive post-production work likely needed, there is the question of just when he would be available to get Halo off the ground. Some reports from December 2013 (like this one from TechRadar) suggested that work on the show would begin this year, with Microsoft and the game's developer 343 Industries eying a release during the second quarter of 2014.

If that timeline is accurate, then now is the time for major reports on the creative team behind the series to begin leaking. Blomkamp's involvement on any level, however, is nothing but a rumor. Despite his troubled history with the franchise, he still has only positive things to say about Halo, its universe and the company behind it. Expect a solid confirmation or denial from the director's camp to appear soon enough.

What do you think? Should Neill Blomkamp return to the Halo universe? Sound off in the comments!

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The Halo TV series is in development and doesn't have a release date yet.

Source: Latino Review