Variety reports that 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures have acquired the movie rights for Halo. Both film studios will split the costs as well as the film distribution: People familiar with the talks say Universal is leading the way on a deal that would divide the pic's cost on a 50/50 basis between Fox and U: The former would take international and the latter would handle domestic distribution. According to SorryIGotDrunk.com, Microsoft got half the money it was initially asking for the Halo script penned by Alex Garland (28 Days Later): Lazlo's spies tell me that Fox and Universal are working out a deal to buy Halo for $5 million; split costs. It is about half of what they were asking for on Monday, but it is more coin then our drunk asses will ever see. The movie should be in theaters by 2007. Halo Movie Sold To Fox And Universal Defamer is reporting that development rights to the Halo movie have been sold to a partnership between 20th Century Fox and Universal for $5 million, half of the original asking price. Various outlets are reporting today (though SorryIGotDrunk had a little info on it last night—God bless the internet news cycle) that Fox and Universal are going halfsies on a Microsoft bastard, teaming up to buy Halo (reportedly for half of the original $10 million upfront price, plus other concessions). In case you’ve suffered blunt head trauma and are having recall problems, you’ll remember that CAA, Microsoft’s pimp of choice, dispatched an army of green-armored men (or “Master Chiefs”) to deliver the script to studios, most of which promptly passed. I’m assuming those “other concessions” include points off the gross, otherwise Microsoft got gypped. Halo 2, you’ll remember, grossed over $100 million on its release date, far more than the movie single-day record. UPDATE: Slashdot says Microsoft will get 10% off the initial box office revenue. They originally sought 15%. post your comments on it