Coming Soon has up what it claims is an official press release from Wingnut Films, detailing a joint decision by Microsoft and Wingnut to delay production of the Halo feature film until such time as they can guarantee they'll be bringing a "first class film" version of the game to screens.

Cinema Blend linked to the story with some additional commentary along the lines of go big, or stay home. Looks like the Chief is staying home... for now.

Until there's confirmation from Bungie or Microsoft we're labelling this one an unfortunate rumor.

A few more articles continue to pop up about the new Halo universe works being done by Wingnut Interactive and Ensemble Studios:

• The Record.com: Don't Call Them Games
• Dallas News.com: Playing on two fronts

• The Money Times: Halo Universe To Expand
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Peter Jackson to work on future 'Halo' installment
• Edmonton Sun: Jackson speaks, gamers listen
• Gaming Insider: Interactive's Attractions Grow For Moviemakers And Marketers
• GameDaily: The Future of Halo

Not a lot of new information there, although the Money Times article does reiterate that Jackson's Halo games will be separte from both the Halo film and Halo 3.

Less ado, more do:

• Eurogamer: Halo Wars Is For Ze Germans
• Dolbex: How Far Can Bungie Stretch?
• Bungie: Bungie.net Update
• Xboxyde: HaloWars Q&A and Interview with Peter Jackson
• Primotech: Marty O'Donnell's Wife Plays Bejeweled

More links about the ever-expanding Halo universe:

• WarCry: Peter Jackson Into Games, Working on New "Halo"
• TeamXbox: Video of Storytelling panel at X06 featuring Jackson, Frankie, and Peter Molyneux
• IGN: Video interview with Bungie's Marty O'Donnell
• Hollywood Reporter: Peter Jackson buddies with Microsoft for video game studio
• HBO: The audio portion of Microsoft's X06 presentation
• Wikipedia: Halo Wars
• Podtacular: Episode 82, now with more Stuntmutt
• Rampancy: HawaiianPig's take on Halo Wars.
• Eurogamer: Peter Jackson Bored With Movies
• Playfuls.com: Halo Wars RTS In The Works At Ensemble

Since real Bungie fans don't trust a word that is said about the Halo franchise, or indeed any Bungie game, unless it comes straight from Bungie, KP has now posted at Bungie.net to give the official imprimatur to the heretofore scurrilous rumors spread in Spain by Peter Moore and Peter Jackson.

To wit:

• Ensemble Studios is making Halo Wars, an RTS game for the Xbox 360.
• Wingnut Interactive is working with Bungie on an as-yet unrevealed Halo project.

The latter is being referred to as a "new chapter" in the Halo series; no doubt this prevents any conflict with the idea that Halo 3 will be the "end" of the Halo story, as it will only end that particular story arc. Where or when these new games take place isn't yet known.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, Wingnut is also working on original intellectual property.

Peter Jackson has just been on stage with Peter Moore to announce the formation of Wingnut Interactive.

I really believe that there is a new form of entertainment that is not a film and is not a game. I am not a game designer. But what I am really interested in is in the idea of taking games and stories that could be films, but might not be films.

According to Jackson, the games this new studio will be working on are not going to be traditional games, but new "blends" of entertainment with the emotional impact of a film and the interactivity of a game.

Moore says that Jackson is working with Microsoft beyond just the Halo movie, and "Bungie is working on content beyond Halo 3".

Moore closes the Wingnut Interactive segment with a bullet list, indentifying Wingnut with a new Halo series produced by Bungie and Wingnut, and a new, original property to be developed by Jackson and Fran Walsh.