BioShock movie and game aim for a 2027-2028 joint release

Development limbo nearly killed the BioShock movie twice, and the game has been stumbling right beside it.

Universal deal that collapsed

• Take-Two Interactive is locked in Universal Studios for a BioShock film.
• Gore Verbinski was attached, with John Logan handling the script.
• Budget fights and R-rated demands kept jamming the brakes.
• Weeks before cameras rolled, the whole thing got scrapped.

Netflix revival plan

• August 2022 brought Netflix and Vertigo Entertainment into the mix.
• Francis Lawrence stepped in to steer the adaptation.
• Michael Green was first tapped to draft the screenplay.
• Ken Levine was said to be circling the project.

Budget cuts and rewrites

• July 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con, Rory Lee said it survived.
• Netflix trimmed spending, shrinking it into something more intimate.
• Justin Rhodes later delivered a fresh version of the script.
• Lawrence plans to refocus after finishing The Hunger Games.

Game and movie sync push

• Rory Lee claims the release may line up with the next game.
• Take-Two and Netflix reportedly want shared hype.
• Other films, like The Long Walk, slowed Lawrence down.
• Post-production on The Hunger Games prequel keeps him busy.

Cloud Chamber game turbulence

• Cloud Chamber confirmed the next BioShock in December 2019.
• Reports say the project kept restarting behind the scenes.
• August 2025 brought Rod Fergusson in as studio head.
• Rumors point to a late 2027 launch window.