Bioshock Movie Preview

Learn all about the great film adaptation of the cult series!

by Robin Klaiber on February 23, 2024

Video game adaptations are on the rise. Whether it's "Super Mario Bros." or "The Last of Us": Well-known gaming franchises are more and more frequently being adapted for cinema or streaming: Netflix is currently also working on a project that is based on one of the most popular game series ever: We're talking about "Bioshock".

Image of BIOSHOCK Movie Preview (2025) Jack's Quest in BioShock's Rapture

The franchise has been around since 2007 and has three parts so far, with a fourth already in development. The games are known for their immersive presentation, so for many it was only a matter of time until Hollywood took on the story. Learn all the latest information about the planned "Bioshock" film in this article!

The World of Bioshock

But what is "Bioshock" actually about? Well, in the first part, you play Jack, a survivor of a plane crash on the open sea. The protagonist manages to reach a mysterious lighthouse, through which he enters the underwater city of Rapture. Here, a great disaster seems to have occurred: Genetic modifications gave the population special powers, but also caused them to go insane. Little by little, we learn more about the city founder Andrew Ryan's attempt to create an alternative and better society - and what ultimately led to its downfall.

Rapture stands out with its very special atmosphere, which combines the American 1920s to 1940s with steampunk-like underwater architecture. There are also all kinds of strange characters: from the crazy and mutated inhabitants of the city to the strange Little Sisters and their terrifying protectors, the Big Daddies.

Behind the Scenes

Initial efforts to adapt the video game into a movie were made as early as 2009. However, the project really came to life when both the screenwriter and the director were found: Michael Green and Francis Lawrence. In addition to "I Am Legend", the latter is also responsible for most of "The Hunger Games" movies. Green, meanwhile, was responsible for films such as "Logan" and "Blade Runner 2049". This line-up ultimately convinced Netflix to take charge of the "Bioshock" movie. The movie is being made in close collaboration with the game developers 2K Games and Take 2 Interactive.

Unfortunately, pre-production had to be largely suspended in 2023, as "Bioshock" was also affected by the Hollywood strikes. However, work on the film is now back in full swing. As author Green told Collider magazine, Netflix is very pleased with the script. With a bit of luck, the first roles can be cast soon and filming can start.

Plot of the Bioshock Movie

How closely the "Bioshock" film will stick to the video game is not yet known. However, there are a few indications that the film is primarily based on the first game: director Francis Lawrence repeatedly emphasized how much he was inspired by the visual world of the game and also said that the philosophy and morals in it were unique. He also stated that it would be a dream come true as a filmmaker to visualize a city like Rapture.

In fact, the first part already offers more than enough inspiration to make a thrilling movie out of it, with great potential to pick up on the complex ideas of the sequels about flying cities and time travel in further movies.

Until then, we still have to remain patient, however: Even though Netflix is apparently happy with the script, casting has not yet begun, nor has there been a concrete announcement about the start of filming. So we can hardly expect the "Bioshock" film to be released any time before 2025. But as soon as there is new information, we will of course report on it.