BioShock film at Netflix: Francis Lawrence says the script is almost done
Francis Lawrence says the BioShock film script is still being worked on and is “pretty close,” with Netflix’s adaptation in development for over a decade.
The BioShock adaptation has been in development for more than ten years. Netflix took over the project in 2022, together with 2K and Take-Two Interactive.
Gore Verbinski was previously attached to a theatrical version of the film. Producer Roy Lee describes the current version as a more personal film, although it is not clear what that means in practical terms for tone or scale.
What happened
Francis Lawrence has shared another update on the BioShock film. According to the director, the script is still being worked on and is close to being finished. Lawrence also said he feels good about the project and would like to make the film. Available reporting does not confirm a completed script, and no new release date was mentioned.
The BioShock adaptation has had a long development history. The project has been circulating in Hollywood for more than a decade and was previously linked to Gore Verbinski for a theatrical release. Netflix then took over the project in 2022, alongside 2K and Take-Two Interactive, after which Lawrence came on board as director. This latest update fits into a process in which the film has changed direction several times, but still has not entered production.
Producer Roy Lee previously said the project was scaled back after a change at Netflix into a more personal film. In the available reporting, however, it remains unclear whether the script is fully finished, how firmly Lawrence remains attached to the project, and what exactly Netflix is doing after that internal shift. The earlier development with Gore Verbinski also shows that the film has been discussed in several different forms over the years without resulting in a final production.
Lawrence’s new comments line up with earlier reporting that described the film as still actively in development. At the same time, the status remains cautious: the director says the script is “pretty close,” not that it has already been fully approved or moved into production. That keeps the BioShock film among the longest-running game adaptations in development.
Timeline
More than 10 years ago — The BioShock film first enters development and is discussed in multiple forms over the years without a final release.
Earlier development phase — Gore Verbinski is attached to a theatrical BioShock adaptation for cinemas.
2022 — Netflix takes over the BioShock film project, together with 2K and Take-Two Interactive, and Francis Lawrence is later attached as director.
After the Netflix takeover — Producer Roy Lee says the film was scaled back into a more personal version after a change at Netflix.
2025 — Francis Lawrence says the script is still in development and is, in his view, “pretty close.”
Background
BioShock is one of the longest-running game adaptations in development. Available sources outline a project that has changed direction several times: from an earlier film version under Gore Verbinski to a Netflix adaptation with Francis Lawrence as director. That shift matters because it shows the film does not have a single fixed production history, but rather a series of different development phases.
The current reporting does not mention a release date, budget, or final production schedule. Roy Lee’s description of the film as “more personal” is also not expanded on in the sources with concrete details about tone, scale, or structure. As a result, it is still unclear whether that description refers mainly to the storytelling approach, the size of the production, or the way Netflix has internally reworked the project.
What is clear is that Netflix took over the project in 2022 together with 2K and Take-Two Interactive. That makes the streamer the company carrying the film in its current phase, although the available reporting does not confirm how far that involvement extends after the reported regime change. The sources also give no indication that a start date for filming has been set.
Lawrence’s update is mainly notable because he does not describe the project as stalled. Instead, he says work on the script is still ongoing and that it is close to completion. Even so, the wording remains cautious enough to avoid a definitive conclusion about the screenplay’s status. The available information does not say the script has already been approved, nor that the film has entered pre-production.
The combination of a long development history, an earlier link to Gore Verbinski, and the later Netflix version with Francis Lawrence makes BioShock a clear example of a game adaptation that has been reworked multiple times. For now, the project is still alive, but it has not yet been locked into concrete production details.
Related GAME-scanner articles
Sources
- GameSpot: Is The BioShock Movie Ever Going To Happen? Director Weighs In
- Dread Central: 'BioShock' Movie Script Is "Pretty Close," Says Francis Lawrence
- ScreenRant: Netflix's Bioshock Movie Gets Major Script Update From Director Francis Lawrence