Neill Blomkamp rumored to direct Halo TV series pilot

Neill Blomkamp, director of District 9 and Elysium, might direct the pilot for the upcoming Halo TV show being produced by Xbox Entertainment Studios and Steven Spielberg.

Latino-Review reports that it has heard the news from "trusted sources."

Though he's had a difficult history with the brand, In April 2013 Blomkamp did indicate that he's still interested in Halo. "I still really love the world and the universe and the mythology of Halo. If I was given control, I would really like to do that film," Blomkamp said.

"But that's the problem. When something pre-exists, there's this idea of my own interpretation versus 150 other people involved with the film's interpretation of the same intellectual property," he added. "Then the entire filmgoing audience has their interpretation. You can really live up to or fail in their eyes. That part isn't appealing to me, but the original pieces are appealing."

Blomkamp and Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson were in pre-production on a Halo movie that famously fell through in 2006. The two instead went on to make the Oscar-nominated sci-fi action movie District 9 and then Elysium, which, coincidentally, had a few things in common with the Halo fiction.

Microsoft first announced the Halo TV series in May 2013, saying series developer 343 Industries will oversee development on the show with Steven Spielberg.