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.
'Beach' author to adapt Microsoft video game for film
Monday, February 07, 2005 16:49 IST
