Francis Lawrence, the director for Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of the hit horror gameBioShock, is confident that his film will break the curse of poorly-received video game movies. According to him, this comes from not only the quality of the script, but also from the nature of the game itself.
Many fans have always held the belief that this particular game would make an excellent candidate for the movie adaptation treatment, a feeling which must have felt pretty vindicating whenNetflix announced itsBioShockadaptation. Given its fascinating world and intricate themes, there’s certainly a lot to work with. So withBlade Runner 2049writer Michael Green currently working on the film’s script, it’s already got a lot going for it. Not only that, but Lawrence believes it to be an indication that the long-awaitedBioShockmovie is finally, truly making some real headway.
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“Well, Michael Green, who wroteBlade Runner 2049, among other things, and who’s been a friend of mine for years, he’s writing it, and he’s in the middle of writing it right now,” Lawrence said of the film’s progress when speaking withCollider. “We already have our take, outline, and all that kind of stuff, so that’s all done. He’s now just actually writing. That’s why I said it’s a real possibility of [it] being what’s next.” It’s definitely an exciting prospect to think that theBioShockmovie may actually be finally within arm’s reach, especially for anyone who hasn’t played the game and will get to experience its gripping story for the first time.
“First of all, I think it’s one of the best games ever created,” Lawrence continued. “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.” There are reasons thatBioShockmeaningfully impacted the concept of games as art, and its thoughtful themes and statements about the failings of Ayn Rand-inspired philosophies are among those reasons.
Lawrence is also well aware of the supposed “curse” that plagues video game movie adaptations, where there’s a notable disconnect between the original and the eventual film or TV version.Fans ofHalowho blasted the Paramount+ serieswill know this idea well. But Lawrence thinksBioShockhas a better chance than most. “I do know what you mean,” he said when asked about this phenomenon. “When I think about that, I go back to what we talked about earlier, which is I think that there’s some great video games out there, but they don’t always have the weight of actual ideas underneath them. Sometimes they have a great aesthetic or something like that, but I feel like often they end up feeling empty because they’re not built from real ideas. The thing is,BioShockreally is. The whole mythology of that world and the ideas behind it all, there’s just so much there.”
It’s clear that theHunger Gamesdirector has a great deal of love forBioShock, which many likely agree is exactly what’s needed for such a project. There’s clearly still a way’s to go before eager audiences will finally get to see some teasers, but knowing the respect going into the movie is sure to be comforting news for fans.
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