Gore Verbinski to direct BioShock film

360 News | Universal bringing the videogame to the silver screen.

Variety has broken the news that the BioShock flick we've long heard rumours about is official. Universal Studios and BioShock developer Take-Two have signed a deal to turn the popular game into a film.

The big news is also that Pirates of the Caribbean and The Ring director, Gore Verbinski, has been attached to direct and produce the film. John Logan, who scripted The Last Samurai, The Aviator, and most recently, Sweeny Todd is also in talks to pen the screenplay.

Variety claims that it is "believed to be the biggest videogame-to-movie deal since 2005," when the since-aborted Halo project began. However, given the fate of that film, Take-Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick said he had ensured that the deal was structured so BioShock won't end up with a similar fate: "The reason I structured it the way I did is to make sure it gets made."

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17 Comments

Karai Pantsu

4 years ago

That is probably the most promising sounding Game-to-Movie news ever in the history of... err... ever. I can certainly think of a list of names I'd prefer in those roles, but they're a damned far cry from Boll and the other low-level names that tend to get thrown at game films.

Dare I let myself get excited about this?

Sin Ogaris

4 years ago

There is no reason why this can't work, I'd probably like it as a prequal setting up the events of the game and the destruction of Rapture. Who knows what route they'll take though. I think that game to movie tie ins need to be more about a film in the same universe rather than a retelling of a games story. Which is where most tend to fall flat. Either that or directors should not try and take game characters and dump then in completely seperate scenarios (I'm looking at you Boll).

mipac

4 years ago

I'm excited!

Infested Jibbs

4 years ago

Sin Ogaris wrote

It's a game to movie adaptation.....what could go RIGHT?

mipac

4 years ago

Jibbs wrote

Sin Ogaris wrote

It's a game to movie adaptation.....what could go RIGHT?

Far Cry The Movie seems to be working out...........wait, nevermind.

Fetidchimp

4 years ago

^

did anyone notice that boll has challenged michael bay to a fight. I want to see that, whoever gets knocked out, i can't lose.........

redemption

4 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

Thats what i though when they announced the Silent Hill film all those years back. A Oscar nominated Writer, Respectable Director who seemed to be a huge fan of the series. Then it all came apart in the script.
I suppose it could work still. It really shouldn't be a re-telling of the game, or a variation of it. A sequel or a Prequel would be the most rewarding thing for gaming audiences.

Karai Pantsu

4 years ago

Fetidchimp wrote

^

did anyone notice that boll has challenged michael bay to a fight. I want to see that, whoever gets knocked out, i can't lose.........

Pity Bay didn't take the bait. Oh well, back to simply hoping that a Jet Engine falls from the sky onto each of them.

Separate Jet Engine's that is, but simultaneously. Yeah, that'd be nice.

arbok

4 years ago

I thought the first pirates movie was ordinary, and never watched the other two.

Fetidchimp

4 years ago

^
The trouble i had with the first one (i haven't seen 2 & 3) was that i could tell it was his directorial debut, lots of needless shots (3 different zoom levels on the hanging bodies in the port, yeah i get it, keep out!).....hopefully he got better

RXWAG

4 years ago

the first one is the best so do yourself a favour and dont see the other two....i didnt mind them but...overcooked?

el_rezzo

4 years ago

RXWAG wrote

the first one is the best so do yourself a favour and dont see the other two....i didnt mind them but...overcooked?

Yeah they certainly got worse and worse, more because of the scripts than direction but still I wouldn't want to watch them again.

Also sounds like he is trying to talk with Valve about making a Portal movie, which I'm sure Valve knows would be a stupid idea. Please don't make a Portal movie.

ObsoletE

4 years ago

Fetidchimp wrote

actually, POTC:COTBP was his 4th feature film, after Mousehunt (a kids film, kind of like Stuart Little meets Home Alone), The Mexican (Romantic Comedy Road Trip Drama thing - had Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini) and The Ring (US remake, obviously), he also directed The Weather Man (Nicholas Cage film - i haven't seen it) between POTC films.
as for whether he got better over the POTC lifetime, i actually don't mind the first film, and the 2nd and 3rd films are usually criticised more for their plot, rather than poor direction (and rightly so, imo).

mipac wrote

Far Cry The Movie seems to be working out...........wait, nevermind.

my god that looks awful...

latcho1

4 years ago

I don't like the idea of a game-to-movie thing, but the director sounds fairly good. Also, BioShock is one of the games that is structured in a way that coculd become a movie (e.g. no level-ups, seal-tight storyline)...UNLESS they turn it into some awful slasher flick.

Aftershock

4 years ago

I liked the POTC movies.
Johnny Depp saved it for me.

This could be alright. Much easier to do than a Half-Life movie, or a portal movie.

That far cry one looks absolutely horrific.

I think a TF2 movie would be good. It would have a plot made just for the movie, and would be really cheesy. Somewhat like get smart.

Animated, of course.

Lord Haart

4 years ago

These are the last words I will post before the euphoria I'm feeling overtakes me.

AWESOME!!!!

NismoR34

4 years ago

I think the second and third PotC movies were fairly good despite the fact that it was originally intended to only be the one movie (Curse of the Black Pearl). One of the DVDs of the movie has an extra feature showing the writers of the films discussing their approach to penning the second and third movies, after finishing off the first the way they did (under the impression that they were done) and it was quite interesting. So basically what has been said in this thread is right, the criticism is mainly aimed at the plot more than the actual movie/s in it/themselves but then that is to be expected when it wasn't meant to be continued in the first place.

Anyway with regards to this announcement, I can't say that I am surprised about it. I mean Gore attended DICE earlier in the year and generally seemed interested in seeing where gaming potential could go. He also expressed respect and interest for certain games including BioShock and just generally speaking he seemed to be a gamer anyway so with that in mind I'm quite happy with him being behind it. Especially since he is behind the Pirate movies too and I love those.

So I look forward to seeing how this movie turns out. Sure it's easy to be skeptical and perhaps it will suck like the rest, but at least this one has more of a chance than the rest did.

But anyway, of course I'd be interested in this. It's related to BioShock so it get instant attention from fanboy Nismo over here.

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BioShock

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Australian Release Date:
  24/08/2007 (Confirmed)
Publisher:
  Take 2 Interactive
Genre:
  Survival/Horror
Year Made:
  2006
Players:
  1

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