BioShock Movie Script Still in Progress, Confirmed to Be Based on the First Game

Bioshock

The BioShock movie is still in the works, with producer Roy Lee confirming that the live-action adaptation will be based directly on Irrational Games’ first entry in the series.

Script Development and Direction

Speaking to The Direct in an interview, Lee explained that the film’s script is currently being written by Michael Green, best known for Logan and Blade Runner 2049.

Lee also confirmed that director Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games films, I Am Legend) remains attached to the project.

Progress, however, has been slower than some fans might hope. Lawrence has been busy with other commitments, including directing The Long Walk, a Stephen King adaptation, and the upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, set to release in November 2026. Lee noted that the BioShock project is essentially waiting for Lawrence’s schedule to clear once that film is finished.

A Smaller, More Personal Vision

This isn’t the first delay for the film. As Lee revealed during San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Netflix had scaled back the project’s scope following internal budget cuts. Originally envisioned as part of a larger cinematic universe when announced in 2022, the movie is now being developed as a smaller, more character-focused story rather than a blockbuster-scale spectacle.

“The new regime has lowered the budgets,” Lee explained last year. “So we’re doing a much smaller version… It’s going to be a more personal point of view, as opposed to a grander, big project.”

A Long History of Failed Attempts

BioShock’s journey to the big screen has been rocky for almost two decades. In 2008, Universal Pictures announced a BioShock film with Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski attached. However, after budget disputes and creative challenges, the project was officially canceled in 2013. BioShock creator Ken Levine later confirmed that 2K Games allowed him to shut it down following Verbinski’s departure.

Netflix revived hopes in 2022, partnering with Vertigo Entertainment and 2K to bring the franchise back into development.

Where Things Stand Now

As of now, the BioShock movie script is still being worked on, and Lawrence is expected to move forward with the adaptation after completing Sunrise on the Reaping. While we don’t yet know how faithfully it will adapt the story of Rapture, Lee’s confirmation that the movie is firmly based on the original game should reassure longtime fans.

Meanwhile, the BioShock franchise itself remains in flux. A fourth entry, in development at Cloud Chamber since 2019, has faced internal changes, with publisher 2K recently confirming layoffs.