The Bioshock movie has, like many video game adaptations, been locked in development hell for years. Gore Verbinski, perhaps best known as director of the Pirates of the Carribean films, was originally attached to the project, but eventually called it quits after the studios wouldn't back the R-rated film he had envisioned.
Still, assuming that the upcoming entry in the game series, Bioshock: Infinity, does as well as it's predicted to, it seems there still might be hope for the project. Game writer and project lead Ken Levine recently told EDGE magazine, "The thing with Gore [Verbinski] didn't work out, but there's no such thing as 'it's finished' when it comes to making a movie out of something."
Never say never, right? I think it's safe to say that the film industry has gotten the comic movie pretty much down pat, what with the endless fervor surrounding Christopher Nolan's Batman films, and Marvel's march from good films to great, with The Avengers. Video games, however, are still looking for that first film to really get it right.
While disaster is mostly expected from the film adaptations of video games, I think there's a lot of hope behind the concept of a Bioshock film. There are still the challenges of pacing what is mostly a solo journey through an experience that spans hours with the primary interaction boiling down to, "Kill all the things," and yet, Bioshock has such a rich setting and strong story, it's hard to imagine that someone out there couldn't get all that right with a creative screenplay.
If the film happens, let's just hope it falls into the right hands, and doesn't come out as a PG-13 flick about invaders from space and one chosen man imbued with telekinesis or something.
While we wait with fingers crossed, at least we can look at this poster and dream kind dreams.
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