Netflix adds BioShock to its movies in development list with the director of The Hunger Games franchise Francis Lawrence. The streaming giant is definitely building on its expansive library of movies. They are beefing up their list for Netflix originals by supporting and granting directors creative freedom. After its recent success with the feature adaptation of The Witcher and League of Legends: Arcane, it has now identified BioShock as its next project.
In an interview feature from Collider, the director shared his excitement in working on the film with writer Michael Green.
Netflix Develops BioShock Movie With Hunger Games Director
It is one thing to get a multi-awarded director for a project that develops an adaptation of a well-loved video game. It’s another to know that that director is actually a fan of the game itself. And, Lawrence actually is. He talks about the game itself having all the potential to be a movie. Unlike other videogames that are great on game play and aesthetics but needs to have more meat in terms of story content. Lawrence says:
First of all, I think it’s one of the best games ever created. It’s also, I think, one of the most visually unique games ever created. The other thing, and one of the things that always appeals to me, is it is very thematic. There’s real ideas and philosophies underneath the game property, and it’s really, really, really thought out. A lot of games may have a great world of some kind, or they may have a great lead character, or they may tee you up for great set-pieces, but they don’t really have the ideas, they don’t have the kind of weight and the gravitas that Bioshock does.
From there you already know the director has a clear path for the adaptation to take. Neither can people find his appreciation of the game wanting. He continues:
The sort of combo of real ideas and philosophies mixed with the unbelievable aesthetic of it. Plus, one of the other things that I love, love, love is that sort of strange mashup of genre, the idea that you have what feels like a period piece, mixed with body horror, mixed with sci-fi. It’s one of those great mashups, and I think it can be really unique and really beautiful and really entertaining.
Netflix Develops BioShock Movie With Hunger Games Director
Image: 2K Games
The world where BioShock tells its tale is enigmatic in itself. The first city it features is the underwater city of Rapture. Then in the latter games, it featured the floating city of Columbia. In both features, the cities, the world itself has its own history.
On the other hand, in terms of Netflix’s expectations on the adaptation of BioShock, Lawrence shares:
There’s always discussions about rating and tone. I don’t want to get into it too much now because it’s pretty early on in the process, but I certainly have not felt stifled in any way, or sent in any directions with Netflix. I mean, basically me and Cameron [MacConomy] who works with me, and Michael are getting to do what we want to do, which is great. A lot of it is staying really true to the game itself, and we’re talking to Take-Two [Interactive] and Ken Levine.
Fans of the source video game will be relieved to know that the people behind the developing adaptation knows what they want for it. Not only that, these people also respect the source. Working with Lawrence and Green in developing the film are Roy Lee as producer, with Cameron MacConomy and Strauss Zelnick as executive producers. Meanwhile, Andrew Norman represents Netflix as studio executive. 2K Games, Take Two Interactive Software and Vertigo Entertainment share in company credits with the streamer.
