Valve talks Half-Life movie

Valve has been pursuing a Half-Life movie for nearly a decade, but the project has not gotten rolling. That has not changed, but Valve writer Marc Laidlaw has opened up on who his dream candidates would be to direct a big-screen adaptation of the sci-fi shooter series.

"If Paul Verhoeven returned to science fiction films, he would do something insane with Half-Life…maybe something objectionably insane, but at least not boring. Peter Jackson has proved himself an amazing purveyor of faithful adaptations. Guillermo del Toro has the horror vibe that I think a lot of people miss out on when thinking about a Half-Life movie," Laidlaw said. "Half-Life is essentially horror after all. The science in it barely passes as hand-waving, but when a headcrab jumps at your head, it’s a precisely engineered jolt."

Verhoeven is most famous for directing Total Recall and Robocop, while Jackson earned his place in film history for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Del Toro directed Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy

Ultimately, Laidlaw said he believes there are numerous directors who could do the Half-Life fiction justice on the silver screen. However, fans may want to temper their excitement for the film, as Laidlaw said "most of them are busy pursuing their own visions."

The Half-Life movie was first revealed in 2003, following Half-Life 2's showing at the 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Valve is looking to for a project that would extend the elements of the game and broaden the franchise's audience, though no other details are available.

Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs director Quentin Tarantino was reportedly in talks to direct the film, though Valve said this was not the case.