Netflix’s BioShock movie finally moves forward
The boom of video game movie adaptations shows no sign of slowing down, but thankfully, we've come a long way from Uwe Boll's dire live-action House of the Dead from 2003. With upcoming releases covering everything from Ghost of Tsushima to Stray, we've also got TV series for Fallout, God of War, and more.
Among this sea of adaptations is Netflix's BioShock adaptation, which will rise from the depths of development hell. 2K's dystopian series dived down to Rapture for its first two games, with a third game then soaring high to Columbia. Little is known about the Netflix movie, so "would you kindly" give us an update?
Netflix's BioShock movie is finally moving forward
Click to enlargeA live-action BioShock had been thought lost at sea, but now, The Hunger Games' Francis Lawrence is steering the ship. The rumoured Netflix adaptation was announced in February 2022, but since then, things have gone quiet.
Although we're still yet to hear anything about the presumably A-list cast of the BioShock movie, writer Michael Green has given us something of an update. Known for his work on the likes of Logan and Blade Runner 2049, Green's sci-fi CV makes him more than qualified to bring Rapture to life.
Speaking to Collider, Green explained that while the WAG SAG-AFTRA strikes ground things to a halt, it's full steam ahead to get the BioShock lighthouse shining. "You have to measure your words, or you'll start to see a laser pointer at my forehead from the Netflix legal," said Green.
"Netflix has been amazing about it. They were excited about it before the strike, they're excited about it now, post-strike." Saying he's been meeting regularly with Lawrence, Green said they've been refining a draft:
"We're all optimistic. We all love it. It's a great big sprawling nightmare world we wanna see real. So, here's hoping. I would love to have an update for you soon." It's good news that we'll be getting an update "soon," but considering a movie has been in the works for the past 15 years, we're hoping for something substantial.
Previously, names like Eddie Redmayne, Jamie Dornan, and Wentworth Miller were thrown around, and rest assured, there's sure to be a lifeboat of stars wanting a piece of this project. Given all the money in the world, we've got our own dream cast of Robert Downey Jr. and Cate Blanchett.
What happened to the Netflix movie?
Click to enlargeIn 2008, Universal announced a BioShock movie that would use the same green screen technology as Zack Snyder's 300. Pirates of the Caribbean's Gore Verbinski was tipped to direct, with him telling Collider in 2021 how he wanted a $200 million budget and a gritty, R-rated outing.
Unfortunately, the divisive reception of Watchmen had studios feeling uneasy about R-rated movies, meaning this was the start of BioShock's downfall. Verbinski stated the crew had been about eight weeks away from filming - suggesting we were closer than we ever knew to getting this version.
BioShock Game Director Ken Levine eventually announced that they'd pulled the plug on BioShock in 2013. Verbinski has been candid about what could've been, with artwork appearing online and him saying the success of Deadpool proves his pitch could've worked.
Thankfully, it seems the rough seas of an early BioShock adaptation have calmed. We'll sit and wait patiently for Green's promised update, after all, what's a few more years when we've already been waiting this long?
