Director Francis Lawrence Offers Update on the BIOSHOCK Movie He's Developing

Director Francis Lawrence is not only developing a sequel to Constantine with DC Studios and Keanu Reeves, and a sequel to I Am Legend with Will Smith, he’s also been developing a film adaptation of the hit video game franchise BioShock for Netflix. There haven’t been any updates on this project since it was announced. I figured there’s been no movement on it, but that’s not the case.

While speaking with Collider, he offered an update on the project saying that the script is currently being written by Michael Green (Blade Runner 2049) and it could be the next project that he starts working on. He shared:

“Well, Michael Green, who wrote Blade Runner 2049, among other things, and who’s been a friend of mine for years, he’s writing it, and he’s in the middle of writing it right now. We already have our take, outline, and all that kind of stuff, so that’s all done. He’s now just actually writing. That’s why I said it’s a real possibility of [it] being what’s next.”

Lawrence went on to talk about how big of a fan he is of the video game franchise, calling it “one of the best games ever created.” He went on to say:

“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. 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 with the unbelievable aesthetic of it. Plus, 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.”

The filmmaker goes on to talk about working with Netflix and how the creative freedom they’ve given him and how they are looking to stay true to the game:

“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”

Lawrence, who recently wrapped production on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, sounds pretty confident about the project and their plans for it. This movie could also finally get made sooner rather than later.

There have been several attempts over the years to get a BioShock movie made, so it’s good to know that it’s finally going to happen! Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Ring) signed on to helm a Bioshock movie back in 2008, but that project was shut down due to concerns over its high budget and intended R-rating. It sounds like that won’t be a problem for Lawrence with Netflix’s involvement.

BioShock is set in Rapture, a large underwater city planned and constructed in the 1940s by individualist business magnate Andrew Ryan, who wanted to create a utopia for society's elite to flourish outside of government control and "petty morality."

The game has a heavy steampunk influence, and like the game, the film is sure to make for a visually awesome experience.