The BioShock movie is coming to Netflix, finally bringing the underwater city of Rapture to live-action. The 2007 game BioShock was an instant hit with audiences thanks to its incredibly unique setting, deep story, and iconic aesthetic. BioShock‘s mythology, including the underwater city of Rapture, the rivalry between Andrew Ryan and Atlas, and the now-iconic Big Daddies and Little Sisters all felt perfectly suited for a movie. Many studios thought so too, as the first attempt at a BioShock movie was made back in 2008 by Universal.
While Universal’s project didn’t pan out, work has been ongoing on the live-action BioShock movie at Netflix since 2022, with Francis Lawrence directing and Michael Green on screenwriting duties. While little has been revealed yet about the cast and story, what’s been teased so far indicates that the partnership between Netflix and game developers 2K could finally make the long-demanded live-action BioShock adaptation a reality.
Related
Netflix’s BioShock Movie Needs To Replicate 1 Key Aspect Of HBO’s The Last Of Us To Succeed
Netflix’s BioShock movie needs to replicate a key aspect of HBO’s The Last of Us season 1 in order to be an equally successful video game adaptation.
Most Recent BioShock Movie News
Netflix Cuts The Budget
Though updates have been somewhat scarce on the video game adaptation, the latest news confirms Netflix has cut the budget for BioShock. While appearing at 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con, producer Roy Lee spoke candidly to Collider about the status of the long-awaiting gaming film. “It was originally done with the previous regime, and the new regime has lowered the budgets,” Lee explained, referencing the departure of Netflix’s Scott Stuber who left the company in early 2024.
As for specifics about the story, Lee had little to offer, but he did mention that the reduced budget necessitates “a more personal point of view.” He also confirmed that Francis Lawrence was still attached to direct, though a timeline is still elusive.
Read Lee’s full statement below:
“It was originally done with the previous regime, and the new regime has lowered the budgets on some things, so we’re doing a much a smaller version of the movie. But it’s eventually going to get made with Frances Lawrence directing.”
” It’s gonna be on a more personal point of view as opposed to a grander, big, epic movie.”
The Live-Action BioShock Movie Is Confirmed
Netflix’s Plans Were Revealed In 2022
The BioShock movie was confirmed by Netflix in February 2022. The streamer will be bringing the live-action Rapture to life alongside Vertigo Entertainment and 2K, the game studios behind the source material. Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) and Michael Green (Logan) were confirmed as director and screenwriter when the project was announced. Producer Roy Lee has since confirmed that Lawrence is still set to direct, but nothing is known about where the project currenlty stands in its development.
A
Gears of War
adaptation is also in the works at Netflix.
The BioShock Movie Story
The Movie Will Tackle The First Game
By the time the narrative of the game begins, Rapture has descended into anarchy, and this is likely where the plot of the live-action
BioShock
movie will also begin.
There’s nothing confirmed about the plot of the live-action BioShock movie yet, but it’s believed the story will follow the first two games rather than BioShock: Infinite. BioShock and BioShock 2 are both set in the underwater city of Rapture in the 1960s. Created by billionaire free-market capitalist and Ayn Rand enthusiast Andrew Ryan, Rapture was envisioned as a safe haven for those who wanted to progress humanity unfettered by moral complications. Human Experimentation led to the creation of ADAM – a material that alters DNA to provide X-Men-like superpowers and mutations on demand, but also causes insanity.
The BioShock games include:
|
Game |
Release Year |
|
|---|---|---|
|
BioShock |
2007 |
|
|
BioShock 2 |
2010 |
Takes place 8 years after BioShock |
|
BioShock Infinite |
2013 |
A prequel set in 1912 |
|
BioShock 4 |
N/A |
The game has been in development for years but no release date is known. |
By the time the narrative of the game begins, Rapture has descended into anarchy, and this is likely where the plot of the live-action BioShock movie will also begin. The population of Rapture has become Splicers, addicted to ADAM and completely homicidal. Andrew Ryan has lost control, with figures like Frank Fontaine and Sofia Lamb making plays to take control as the underwater society collapses.
