Credit: Bioshock
Netflix is deep in the world of video game adaptations. The streamer is currently running the successful Witcher franchise with Henry Cavill – who will exit the series following the third season. Plus, they currently have what many consider one of the best adaptations ever made, Arcane. Of course, not every adaptation was primed for success as The Resident Evil brand continues its bad luck in live-action form following a season that disappointed both fans and critics. Still, Netflix has more hits than misses when it comes to video game adaptations, so naturally, the streaming service is planning to expand its brand in that category.
Netflix just announced a Gears of War feature, finally taking that Xbox series out of developmental hell. However, before Gears of War was confirmed, Netflix revealed back in February 2022 that they were planning to release a live-action Bioshock film. A brief history about Bioshock, the popular series, made its debut back in 2007 and stunned critics and fans with its unique story and incredible gameplay. The first game is set in the underwater city known as Rapture. A paradise in 1960 was built by Andrew Ryan to be an isolated utopia. However, the discovery of ADAM, a genetic material that grants superhuman powers, initiated the Rapture’s turbulent decline.
Credit: Bioshock
The video game was a massive success, critically and financially, collecting over $3 million worldwide. That ultimately spawned two more sequels: Bioshock 2 and Bioshock: Infinite. Together, all three games made over $25 million, and there’s been a confirmation that Bioshock 4 is currently in development with 2K and Cloud Chamber Studios. Back in August, it was confirmed that The Hunger Games and I Am Legend director – Francis Lawrence – will helm the upcoming video adaptation. In terms of writing the script, Michael Green – who penned the excellent Logan and Blade Runner 2049 – is tapped for the upcoming feature as well. The development of Bioshock seems to be going smoothly thus far, and it appears that the team behind the film are genuinely fans of the video games.
“Basically, me and Cameron [MacConomy] who works with me, and Michael are getting to do what we want to do, which is great,” Lawrence told Collider. “A lot of it is staying really true to the game itself, and we’re talking to Take-Two [Interactive] and Ken Levine.”
Credit: Bioshock
This is obviously a great thing. While this doesn’t necessarily confirm that it will turn out to be a great movie – see Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City – it does mean that both Green and Lawrence understand the overall lore of Bioshock. More importantly, they enjoy the concept of the games, characters, and world of the first video game, which will likely bold well for fans hoping that this won’t be the latest adaptation that makes unnecessary changes to their beloved video game.
“I think it’s one of the best games ever created,” he said. “It’s also, I think, one of the most visually unique games ever created. The other thing, and one of the things that always appeals to me, is it very thematic. There’s real ideas and philosophies underneath the game property, and it’s really, really, really thought out. A lot of games may have a great world of some kind, or they may have a great lead character, or they may tee you up for great set pieces, but they don’t really have the ideas, they don’t have the kind of weight and the gravitas that Bioshock does. The sort of combo of real ideas and philosophies mixed and the unbelievable aesthetic of it.”
All sounds good on the development of the Bioshock movie. Let’s hope it turns out to be one of the great video game adaptations. As of this writing, there’s no set release date for the Bioshock film.
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