Netflix’s Bioshock movie: Everything we know so far

After being rumored for years, a studio has finally taken the plunge and decided to give Bioshock the movie treatment, with a Netflix film adaptation of the popular gaming series underway. Information is scarce at the moment, but here’s a look at what we know and what to expect.

Whether you’re familiar with the dark waters of Rapture or the politically charged skies of Columbia, you already have a good understanding of the series’ brooding and complex nature. Happiness is rare in the Bioshock universe, as it’s plagued by a sadistic undercurrent that surrounds itself in death and destruction.

Take-Two Interactive’s current trilogy of games are some of the most revered in gaming history, and the upcoming fourth title has hopes of emulating their success. Series creator Ken Levine tried unsuccessfully to bring the franchise to the big screen, despite the project being so far along.

Netflix has jumped on the video game wagon in the last few years by bringing several gaming franchises to life, and now it seems like they want to give Bioshock a crack.

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Contents

• Does the Bioshock movie have a release date?
• Bioshock movie plot & setting
• Bioshock cast & crew details
• Is there a trailer for the Bioshock movie?

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Does the Bioshock movie have a release date?

There is nothing concrete in terms of a release window for the Bioshock movie just yet. For the time being. There’s every chance that the movie’s release could potentially coincide with Cloud Chamber’s Bioshock 4, but we will have to wait and see.

In a recent interview with Collider, Bioshock writer Michael Green confirmed that the project is still on track and moving along well following the Writers Strike. In the interview, Green was relatively tight-lipped but did alleviate fears that the project had been canned following the strikes.

“You have to measure your words, or you’ll start to see a laser pointer at my forehead from the Netflix legal. Netflix has been amazing about it. They were excited about it before the strike, they’re excited about it now, post-strike.

“Yes, I got called, the, ‘How’s it coming along?’ the minute the strike was over, ‘You about ready…?’ Been meeting regularly with Francis Lawrence and his team to refine a draft to go back in. 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.”

In another interview with Collider, Scott Stuber, Netflix’s head of film, provided another promising update. “”You know, Bio, we’re waiting on the script. So we’re in that kind of phase. The strike slowed us down quite a bit…There are huge audiences. As you know, that kind of medium, they don’t translate always, and historically, as an industry, we’ve screwed it up quite a bit. But both those have really rich worlds, have really good characters, so they’re very natural kind of transitions to screen and filmmaking.”

Bioshock movie plot & setting

The only picture used for the promotional material for the movie is that of the game’s Big Daddy enemy alongside a Little Sister.

Given that Netflix hasn’t gone for an ambiguous art shot, we’d say that the movie will probably be set in Rapture, home to Bioshock 1 + 2. Also, the Big Daddy featured is akin to the ones seen in the first game, instead of the alternative ones introduced in Bioshock 2.

With this in mind, we question how close to the source material the movie will stay. The premise of Bioshock was about a man called Jack who unexpectedly found his way to Rapture and had to battle his way through the sights, sounds, and unimaginable horrors of a broken, dystopian city. Netflix also teased fans by stating: “Would you kindly stay tuned?” – a take on the game’s famous quote.

And while there may be concerns about the film diverging from the original plot, director Francis Lawrence seems committed to bringing the source material to life. In an interview with Collider, Lawrence spoke about his love and respect for the plot of the original Bioshock and how he plans to keep the essence of the game for the movie adaption.

“First of all, I think it’s one of the best games ever created. 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 is very thematic. There’s real ideas and philosophies underneath the game property, and it’s really, really, really thought out…The sort of combo of real ideas and philosophies mixed with the unbelievable aesthetic of it.”

Lawrence also spoke to how the game doesn’t just cement itself into one genre. “One of the other things that I love, love, love is that sort of strange mashup of genre, the idea that you have what feels like a period piece, mixed with body horror, mixed with sci-fi. It’s one of those great mashups, and I think it can be really unique and really beautiful and really entertaining.”

In the same interview, Lawrence discussed the dark and gruesome nature of Bioshock, reassuring fans that the film will not be forced by Netflix to tone itself down. How Lawrence and the rest of his team are also working in collaboration with the game devs and creators to make sure they get the heart and soul of the Bioshock identity into the movie.

“There’s always discussions about rating and tone. I don’t want to get into it too much now because it’s pretty early on in the process, but I certainly have not felt stifled in any way, or sent in any directions with Netflix. I mean, basically, me and Cameron [MacConomy] who works with me, and Michael are getting to do what we want to do, which is great. A lot of it is staying really true to the game itself, and we’re talking to Take-Two [Interactive] and Ken Levine.”

Bioshock movie cast & crew details

While there has been no news in terms of casting for the upcoming Bioshock film, Netflix revealed in August 2022 that the movie does have a director and writer attached and eager to get to work.

Francis Lawrence – best know for directing I Am Legend and the last three Hunger Games films – has signed on to direct the Bioshock movie. Lawrence has extensive experience bringing action-packed, morally grey dystopian worlds to life – something that is pivotal to Bioshock.

As well as this, Deadline also reports that writer Michael Green is putting pen to paper to adapt the script for the film. Similar to Lawrence, Green has extensive experience writing for dystopian worlds having served as writer for Blade Runner 2049 and the X-Men movie Logan.

Is there a trailer for the Bioshock movie?

Netflix hasn’t provided a trailer for Bioshock just yet. This is likely because the movie is probably in its very early stages.

Once production has started to move along nicely, expect Netflix to drop a sneaky teaser for the Bioshock movie. For more TV and Movie adaptations, check out a few of our other upcoming release hubs for other big upcoming titles:

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