'Halo' movie "remains on hold"

The proposed big screen adaptation of popular video game franchise Halo is still "on hold", according to Microsoft.

Reports surfaced last week claiming that Steven Spielberg is interested in reviving the project after reading Stuart Beattie's screenplay Halo: The Fall Of Reach.

However, a spokesperson for Microsoft told gaming website Kotaku that a movie is not currently in the pipeline: "We're glad there's still a lot of enthusiasm in the entertainment industry surrounding the idea of a Halo movie. That said, the Halo feature film remains on hold as we focus on projects like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach."

A Halo movie was close to realisation in 2006 with Peter Jackson producing for director Neill Blomkamp. However, studios 20th Century Fox and Universal pulled the plug on the film as costs began to spiral.