Netflix confirms BioShock movie will adapt original game

Netflix NFLX ↘ 0.85% has officially confirmed that its upcoming BioShock movie adaptation will be based on the original 2007 game, producer Roy Lee revealed in a recent interview. The announcement ends years of speculation about which entry in the beloved gaming franchise would serve as the source material for the streaming giant's anticipated film adaptation.

"Netflix wants us to keep everything under wraps. But it's definitely going to be based on the first BioShock game," Lee told The Direct during a press tour for Stephen King thriller The Long Walk. This marks the first concrete confirmation about the movie's narrative direction since the project was announced in 2022.thedirect+1

Production Timeline and Director Commitment

Director Francis Lawrence, known for his work on The Hunger Games franchise, remains attached to the project but faces scheduling constraints. Lee confirmed that BioShock will be Lawrence's next film after completing The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, currently in production in Spain with a November 2026 release date.gamespot+1

"The Long Walk became a reality because BioShock was delayed for a little bit where we had to do some more script work," Lee explained. "And so as the script work is being done, we shot The Long Walk, and he was already committed to doing the next Hunger Games movie. And so it's just waiting for him whenever the Hunger Games is completed, and the script is just being worked on right now."thedirect

The timeline suggests the BioShock movie won't reach theaters until 2028 at the earliest, given Lawrence's existing commitments and the time required for production and post-production work.vgchartz+1

Script Development and Budget Adjustments

The project has undergone significant script revisions, with multiple writers contributing to different versions. Michael Green, who wrote Blade Runner 2049 and Logan, penned earlier drafts, while Justin Rhodes, known for Terminator: Dark Fate, is currently working on the screenplay with Lawrence.gamesradar+1

Lee previously revealed at San Diego Comic-Con that Netflix had scaled back the film's scope following internal regime changes, resulting in a reduced budget. "We're doing a much smaller version of the movie. But it's eventually going to get made with Francis Lawrence directing. It's gonna be on a more personal point of view as opposed to a grander, big, epic movie," Lee said.collider+1

Despite the budget constraints, Lawrence expressed optimism about the project's current status. In May, he told IGN that he had received a new draft and described the adaptation as being "in a pretty good place," though he acknowledged it was "a tricky adaptation" with "lots of things to figure out and to get right".whats-on-netflix+1