Netflix's long-awaited BioShock movie adaptation may finally start back up again. First announced back in 2022, very little progress has been made on the film, which will be based on the 2007 video game from Ken Levin at 2K.
However, this week, we got what sounds like a promising update from producer Roy Lee. While speaking to Collider for the movie Psycho Killer, Lee was asked about the status of the BioShock movie.
According to Lee, Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, I Am Legend, Slumberland) is still attached to direct the film. He's currently working on Sunrise on the Reaping, a prequel to The Hunger Games that's set to release on November 20th. But once that's finish, it sounds like he'll shift his focus to BioShock. Lee said:
"We would have gotten it made a few years back, but then other movies got in the way, with one being The Long Walk and the other being The Hunger Games prequel, which comes out this December. We're just waiting for him to finish post-production, because he's going to be working on it through at least September, and then jump back into it. I know that Netflix and Take-Two are very anxious to see the movie come out because they want to have the release coincide with some of the potential new incarnations of the game."
The hope is for production and filming to begin next year, but Lee was cautious with his timeline estimate.
"It's steadily on the path, but you know how it goes. It's... so many things could get in the way, but I know that the intent is to hopefully get in production next year," he said.
So far no names have been attached to the cast and story details are largely being kept under wraps. However, it's reported that the movie will adapt the 2007 BioShock game. Michael Green (Blade Runner 2049) was originally hired to write the screenplay, but there were reports last year of a new draft coming from Justin Rhodes (Terminator: Dark Fate).
"Set across multiple dystopian and visionary landscapes gone wrong, the series blends sci-fi and horror to pose unique existential and societal questions that reshaped how game stories could be told - all amidst pulse-pounding action gameplay that rewards sharp shooting, clever planning, and lethal improvisation," Netflix's description of the game series reads.
Netflix is partnering with 2K and Take-Two Interactive to produce the live-action film adaptation. In 2024, it was reported that it had shifted to a smaller-scale film due to budget restructuring at Netflix.