
Are you a Halo fan? Have you seen Avatar? You're going to want to pay attention to director James Cameron's response to my question about the influence Aliens had on Halo and vice versa.
One of the common responses to the first trailer for Cameron's Avatar was "whoa, that looks like Halo." Of course, moments later, most people realized Halo was deeply inspired by Cameron's own Aliens and Cameron was simply riffing on a style he invented. Bungie has admitted the influence numerous times.
"The funniest thing is when some of the so-called fanboys get up trashing Avatar for looking too much like Halo," he laughed during a recent interview with me that aired on X-Play. "It's like...pay attention. If I'm referencing anything, I'm referencing the source work for Halo, which is my own stuff. So I get to do that. Nobody else gets to do that, but I get to do that. My rule, anyway."
Based on his response, there's no doubt those comments ruffled Cameron's feathers a bit, but since he was laughing and smiling while describing the influence his movies have had on games like Halo, he seems over it. It's not featured in the X-Play segment (look for the rest of the interview soon), but Cameron also underscored his appreciation for his work entering into the "cultural zeitgeist."
Have something to share? Sitting on a news tip? E-mail me. You can also follow me on Twitter.




Comments are Closed
Comments
Displaying 41–60 of 60
2123
funkytown109
as someone who studies both film and video games. i would have to say that everything is influenced by something else. cameron wasnt divinely inspired to make aliens. he was obviously influenced by another source
Boogie1188
Um, I didn't think of Halo when I saw the trailers. How did anyone think that?
kujel
Since Cameron is a film director and not a game designer I couldn't care less what he says. Btw Aliens was the only really good movie in the alien franchise (Alien resurrection was ok but only ok).
adenrin13
BONERJAM!
HlBRlD
I am a Halo fan, have been since 2003, and I absolutely loved Avatar. The main reason why I like Halo so much is because it is science fiction. Avatar is a sci fi movie, and being that, has a lot of core similarities with many other sources. James Cameron isn't ripping from anything. Ender's Game, Halo, Mass Effect, Star Wars, Avatar, Aliens, Terminator, they are all based on similar story types.
Quixotic_Noble
except I have seen Alien and Aliens etc.... I love Aliens and Halo. I saw Aliens references more than I did Halo. I also criticize Avatar but for numerous narrative reasons.
justabum
the first halo even uses bill paxtons line from aliens..we're screwed..we're screwed man..i think these kids are too young to know any better..anything space mariney is blatantly cameron..god love em..
ZetaCrossfire
Haven't heard this before.
nvserg
I am big fan of Helo, but not as much as these haters are talking about. N-e-ways, just because of that comment James Cameron made I refuse to pay to watch this movie. I have decided to watch it for Free99, and not give my money to him. I m this way with every company. For example: my girl loves Banana Republic, but I refuse to go there ever because they treated me like crap, & they will never have my business again because of it. I dont support hater and ash talkers.
Fyzban
lol halo fanboys are the worst group pf fanboy in this industry.They're so blind and in love of halo its almost a psy problem.Microsoft did a great brainwashing job on those kids.
gravy666
The kiddies bashing Avatar are also the same kids that never saw Aliens, and have no idea that Sgt. Johnson is basically Sgt. Apone, the Marines dress almost identically to their Marine counterparts in Aliens, etc etc
In other words, they don't realize that James Cameron practically invented Halo.
greeknerd
As a Halo fan I didn't even realize the likeness between Halo and Avatar. Oh no! I hate Avatar now because it's like Halo!
What ever.
joshdale
STFU fanboys...thank you :D
Freddyr91
well Avatar was kind of boring IMO (not to get any Avatar-fanboys mad)
when I saw it I did't think Halo, certainly not Aliens, cause they are far worse than Avatar (again IMO)
Aerindel_Prime
Thats pretty funny.
I always thought what made Halo so enjoyable was its similarity to Aliens and Terminator and of course Ringworld, Starshiptroopers, Armor and the works of Ian M. Banks and Dan Simmons.
I made the Halo, Avatar, Cameron connection right away, I thought it would be obvious.
If Avatar resembles anything else it is Orson Scott Cards book Speaker for the Dead and the cartoon Fern Gully, neither of which is a bad thing.
Sidewinder69
Another case where the most popular instance must have by all means invented it!
people can be too naive.
Cameron included for even addressing fanboys.
Jackal904
Gotta love ignorant fanboys...
IXIELCHINGONIXI
oh yeah i saw this yesterday, i didnt know the fanboys were complaining already.but Cameron is right, its all his work lol. epic win.
DEAThHEART
Those fanboys just have to learn how to shut up.
BONERJAM
Cameron should try to understand that you cant win a fight with a fanboy, especially a Halo fanboy. They are too blinded by their love of something, in this case Halo, that they cant relize that things can be similar or even better without having anything to do with what they are a fanboy of.
Displaying 41–60 of 60
2123