BioShock fans have already been waiting over a decade to see Rapture and its incredible underwater environments brought to life on the big screen, but it’s finally happening thanks to the world’s biggest streamer.
According to a report shared by The Hollywood Reporter today, Netflix has agreed to develop a film adaptation of 2K and Ken Levine’s beloved 2007 shooter, BioShock, a spiritual successor to the System Shock series that has since seen two sequels. While the search is still on for a writer and director, the deal has reportedly been in the works for almost a year.
Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski was supposed to direct a BioShock film back in 2008, but the project fell apart due to budget reasons. Netflix and Take-Two Interactive’s intention is to turn the franchise into a cinematic universe.
‘BioShock’ Movie in the Works at Netflix (The Hollywood Reporter)
- The game sold millions since its initial release and was followed by two game sequels — BioShock 2 and BioShock Infinite — which expanded the dystopian landscape as it combined action, sci-fi and horror. The title continues to find itself on lists of best video games ever created.
- Hollywood came a knockin’ almost immediately, with a feature project set up at Universal and The Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski attached to helm. But very soon after, two issues arose that would follow the project for the next decade: budget and an R rating.
- Verbinski and subsequent filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo butted heads with the studio, even getting as close as being months from shooting one iteration, until finally the game’s makers pulled the plug.