It was a simplification of the situation. Ultimately, they had the biggest responsibility to stop trying to be the big dog in this situation because they were out of their element (Donny). Of course there were a lot of factors involved, I know that, but those factors frankly weren't going to ever be as large of an actively damning element as Microsoft who was, by all accounts, hoping to be dominant in this relationship and not budging on that stance. I still want this stuff to happen, and I hope all the parties involved learned a lesson. I'm sure Microsoft learned how Hollywood works, but I think Hollywood is just going to keep being Hollywood until the end of time. They're not going to change, somebody had to.
You're viewing this from a perspective where a movie being made = success, which I disagree with. Simply a movie being made isn't good enough. A GOOD Halo movie is the barometer of success, and in that regard, the studios were more responsible for sabotaging the film.
What good is a movie if it's mediocre? If Hollywood got the rights to make more and ruin the fiction? If they destroyed the only two major characters that are important (Chief & Cortana)?
The fact that a movie didn't get made, but I rather no movie get made then a mediocre one and a situation where studios hold the fate of the franchise.
The only positive things that came out of the project where because of Microsoft.
Microsoft paid Alex Garland to write a great script.
Microsoft got Peter Jackson to jump on board and bring WETA Designs into the mix.
And although Microsoft weren't too keen on Neil Blomkamp, they trusted Peter Jackson enough to give Neil the reigns.
This is what I'm talking about. You think the studios would pay someone $1 million to write the script and make sure it's drenched in fiction? You think the studios would've pushed for Peter Jackson as a producer?
I find it so odd that you're ready to shit on Microsoft for not bending over and taking it in the ass by Hollywood and giving up control over their most important entertainment IP.