Peter Jackson & Neill Blomkamp Forget Halo - Team Up For ‘District 9′ Instead

Peter Jackson is set to produce a new live action sci-fi thriller titled District 9, with Neill Blomkamp directing. This will be Blomkamp’s feature directing début in light of the Halo film being put indefinitely on hold.

No details of the plot have yet been revealed, although it is known that Blomkamp wrote the script with partner Terri Tatchell. All parties involved are also remaining tight lipped over the budget, although if Jackson’s other films such as the Lord Of The Rings trilogy are anything to go by, it’ll be on the high side of expensive.

The idea for the film is said to have developed from the friendship Jackson and Blomkamp created while planning for the now canned Halo movie. Ideas for a new blockbuster film were batted around until District 9 was finally settled on.

“For the last year, my team and I have had the pleasure of working very closely with Neill,” Jackson said. “He has a passion and a command of the language of cinema that will result in ‘District 9′ fascinating people all over the world.”

With the imminent writers strike in Hollywood, this surprise movie, which has seemingly come out of nowhere, is sure to garner interest from a number of studios looking to fill gaps in their release schedules.