The BioShock movie is still in production, but with a smaller budget.

The film adaptation of BioShock by Netflix is still alive, despite the prolonged silence since its announcement in February 2022. The production, which was rumored to have been possibly canceled by the public, faced several setbacks — from the writers' strike in 2023 to internal changes in the management of the streaming platform — and had its scope reconfigured.

Director Francis Lawrence, known for works like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and I Am Legend, stated that the project is still ongoing, but he did not hide the difficulties of the process:

“It's a complicated adaptation, so there are many things to figure out and get right,” he said. “There have been management changes at Netflix, so things stall, then gain new momentum, stall again, and then gain momentum again, and I think we are in a very positive moment, honestly.”

Originally, the script had been written by Michael Green (Logan, Blade Runner 2049), but the 2023 strike interrupted the development. Now, Justin Rhodes (Terminator: Dark Fate) has taken over the project.

The film had its budget reduced, and the production was adapted to a smaller and more intimate scale. This raises doubts about the presence of striking visual elements from the game, such as the iconic underwater city of Rapture, whose recreation would require substantial investments in visual effects and production design.

Still, Lawrence assured that the essence of the game will be preserved, with direct involvement from the franchise creator, Ken Levine, and the publisher Take-Two Interactive.

“The film will remain faithful to the game.”

The adaptation of BioShock has already been considered one of the most ambitious and difficult projects to adapt from games to cinema. Previously, a film had been planned by Universal Pictures with Gore Verbinski directing, but it was shelved due to creative and budgetary differences — especially because of the R-rating that the producer required.

The current project of Netflix seems to adopt a more pragmatic strategy, balancing visual expectations with logistical limitations. The absence of a release date or more details about the cast and narrative approach leaves the audience in suspense. Nevertheless, the adaptation of BioShock remains one of the most watched projects when it comes to the transition from games to cinema.