BioShock Movie Adaptation Underway, Drawing Inspiration from the Original Game

Vertigo Entertainment producer Roy Lee has confirmed that the BioShock film is in production, with its script currently being written and based on the first game in the series. In a recent interview published on September 9, 2025, Lee stated that the movie adaptation will "definitely" draw from the initial BioShock game. The conversation with The Direct was initially about The Long Walk, an upcoming dystopian horror film directed by Francis Lawrence, who is also set to direct the BioShock movie. Lee mentioned that The Long Walk was able to move forward because the BioShock project was briefly delayed to allow for additional script work. The script for BioShock is being penned by Michael Green, known for his work on Logan and Blade Runner 2049. According to Lee, director Francis Lawrence was already committed to working on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which is currently in production and slated for release in November 2026. As a result, the BioShock project is waiting for Lawrence's availability once The Hunger Games is completed, with script development ongoing. Take-Two Interactive has been attempting to bring the BioShock series to the big screen for nearly two decades. The first attempt at a BioShock movie was announced in 2008 with Universal Pictures and director Gore Verbinski, but it was ultimately canceled in 2013 due to budget concerns and the loss of directors. In 2022, Netflix announced plans to produce a live-action BioShock film with Vertigo Entertainment and 2K. However, in 2024, Netflix reduced the movie's budget, opting for a smaller, more personal approach. During a San Diego Comic-Con 2024 panel, Lee explained that the project was being reconfigured following a change in Netflix's leadership, resulting in lower budgets and a more intimate storytelling approach.