Microsoft is reportedly paying "The Beach" author Alex Garland $1 million to adapt its best-selling video game franchise - "Halo" - for the big screen.

The shooter game - responsible for the success of Microsoft's Xbox console - features an enigmatic character called Master Chief who must save the earth from alien enemies, reported The Guardian.

The "Halo" franchise has generated nearly $1 billion in sales since its launch in 2001.

Garland shot to fame with his novel "The Beach" about a hideaway commune on a remote island, which was later filmed with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead.

Garland also wrote the screenplay to "Trainspotting" director Danny Boyle's hit zombie movie "28 Days Later".

Video game adaptations are popular in Hollywood. Later this year, Universal studio will release another cult shooter game "Doom", starring The Rock.

But the big screen version of horror game "Alone In The Dark", starring Christian Slater and Tara Reid, which was released last week, seems to have flopped.