Bioshock Movie Put On Hold
Posted by John Campeaon 24. 04. 2009in News Chat
There are three universal laws: Death, Taxes, and Video Game movies suck. Still, with that being said one of the few video game properties that I’ve thought had enough narrative story telling possibilities to make a decent movie was Bioshock (the other would be a film based on Warcraft). Bioshock is a rich story. I’ve never even played the game. I just watched my buddy SouldVideo play one night and I was blown away by the story arc in it.
It was announced some time ago that Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski was taking on the Bioshock project. But alas good friends… it appears the film has been put on hold… maybe permanently… although they are saying they’re committed to finding a way to do it. They even went so far as to say: All parties vow that “Bioshock” will not become another “Halo,” That line made me giggle
The brakes got put on the project when production costs rose to over $160 million, which was more than Universal wanted to put into the project. The folks over at Variety say give us this:
“We were asked by Universal to move the film outside the U.S. to take advantage of a tax credit,” Verbinski said. “We are evaluating whether this is something we want to do. In the meantime, the film is in a holding pattern.” Verbinski and sources at the studio say they are determined to make the pic. Indeed, Verbinski (who has also been directing the Paramount animated film “Rango” with Johnny Depp) bowed out of directing a fourth installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean” so that he could direct “Bioshock” and produce under his Blind Wink banner.
So yet another highly anticipated, high profile video game adaptation movie is on the shelf for the foreseeable future. I’ll go on record and say it’s a shame… I was actually starting to look forward to seeing how this one turned out.
What do you think… will this movie ever get made? Can they even make a movie like this one properly for under $120 million?
This post was written by :
John Campea who has written 6783 posts on The Movie Blog
visit author's website | Contact the Author
Now you can’t say all video game movies suck, what about the first Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil?
Sucked and sucked. Resident evil sucked like a $5 vegas hooker.
I got a huge kick out of Mortal Kombat… but there is no denying it’s a horrible movie
I agree with John. Those were terrible movies. Have you even played Resident Evil? What the hell was that movie about?
Mortal Kombat had some moments in it, but those moments were lifted out of Enter The Dragon, and the Goro FX were fine, but yes, it sucked. On the bright side, it wasn’t as bad as the sequel.
Resident Evil….
I’m like half and half on that.
Silent Hill…
I didn’t think it sucked. I thought it was effective when it wasn’t being silly. I think the fanbase for it suffers from brain damage, however, to the point where, over the last few years I’ve started to like the film less and less. Here’s a question I had to ask myself: now that the darned thing is marked down $5 in some places, if I liked the film so much, why isn’t in my DVD collection?
“Have you even played Resident Evil? What the hell was that movie about?”
I’m with you, there. Although, the third film’s ending does have me curious enough to see the fourth one at some point. Just maybe.
funny how you are so strong in saying it sux…yet every person i know likes those 2 movies…so does that mean your opinion sux compared tot he average person?
I enjoy Mortal Kombat. its probably one of the only video game adaptations that I ever really liked. As for Resident Evil the only reason why it doesn’t follow the story is because there is simply to much of it. They had to shorten it down and go a different way with the story. even tho they had to do that the movie was still good/watchable.
ontopic:
I’m not sure if I am happy or sad about Bioshock being put on hold. Only because I believe that a video game should remain a video game. not only is it like a interactive movie but its enjoyable by you and many others. When turned into a movie the game kinda gets left out of planing, and they have to come up with a new story (for some reason). If they are questioning a $120 million budget for this film… then its not gona be made anytime soon.
I still hold out hope for a God of War movie, I felt there was enough story there for a decent movie. Just get a decent Kratos.
man falling off cliff to death, we go back in time, he sold his soul to the “God of War”, kills family, kills “God of War”, becomes new god of war. honestly you got a story that would last 1 hour if you didn’t make up your own details and extended the story a bit. Even then it wouldn’t have enough depth in the story to be interesting and would have to rely heavily on the gore effects.
sad story…
I was especially looking forward to the art direction.
just imagine what art deco fairy tale could be born if given the project into the hands of weta workshop.
You know, I’m actually almost interested in this. Than again I was almost interested in Max Payne as well and we all know how that turned out.
“there are three universal laws: death, taxes, and video game movies suck”
LOL, that was one of the funniest things ive ever heard.
but as far as video game movies as concerned yes most do suck, but imo there have been exceptions to that like “final fantasy the spirits within” and “advent children”, “doom”(thats right i enjoyed “doom”), “mortal kombat”, and i actually only like the second resident evil flick
You beat me to it on the final fantasy movies. I thought they were great and have both in my collection.
In terms of story telling narrative I can’t think of any other games at the level of FF and Halo. I just finished the latest Halo book and there is loads of material to work from. Maybe a Halo with the CGI treatment?
But the movies in Final Fantasy don’t have to be about anything specific to the game. They can just make it up.
As long as they have some means of Summoning and include a Chocobo, its a Final Fantasy movie.
“As long as they have some means of Summoning and include a Chocobo, its a Final Fantasy movie.”
quoted for the truth.
I actually think this could be cool as a stop motion film.
dude thats actually a cool idea…mabey in the style of coraline.id buy it.
Smarter heads prevailed.
Now just gimmie the Earthworm Jim movie.
“there are three universal laws: death, taxes, and video game movies suck”
Great line and I so agree with you. The only video game adaption I like at least in terms of art direction is the already mentioned Silent Hill.
I played Bioshock a while ago and it’s been one of the tip games on my list from the beginning. Damn! Just when I also started looking forward to this one.
Please, Mr. Verbinski, make it happen!
What about ZELDA?!
Just throwing it out there…
Oh my god yes.
This would be so good. Not just cool or fun…or popcorn worthy or entertaining
I mean this would be godlike if made correctly…
Zelda would break a hole through L.A. when first screened and it would make a warp speed black hole
It will make the universe explode and the viewers skulls will cave in from sheer awesomeness
I just bought Bioshock and HOLY SHIT what a great game. I’ve never played a FPS like it. I’m not even half way through it yet and I can’t think about anything else.
If they make a movie, they’d better adapt it right; and NO you can’t make this one cheaply. It’s gonna take some major bucks.
John’s right…video game movies suck hairy balls. I really wish they’d leave this alone. And just make more great games.
As much as I hate the idea of video games being translated into movies I still think BioShock will be the one to break the trend of suckage. For those of you who havent played I URGE you to go out and buy it now. Its been out for a couple of years now and is fairly inexpensive. BioShock is like nothing I had ever seen before. A deeply thought out game that actually makes you think on a philisophical level. The city in which the game takes place is partially based off of the one invisioned in the great Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. The game presents a good look at the objectivist philosophy without comending or condemning it. It shows how the Idea of a purely capitalist society is good but also shows the faults in the objectivist belief (such as being purely anti religious, which leads in part to the fall of Rapture do to many in the societies desire for religion being outlawed and the only way the citizens are able to get religious materials is smuggling and such) The game is EXTREMELY deep on so many levels. I just pray that the movie retains the thinking mans quality of the game and doesnt turn it into a violent horrer shootemup.
I like the Ayn Rand thought, but read Metropolis by Thea von Harbou…I think you’d get a kick out of it.
Oh and I also think a Halo movie could be done well to. Despite the games being fairly juvenile the Halo Universe is actually pretty in depth. If PJ and his buddy doing District 9 do in fact return to the Halo film project I think we might have a winner on hand with this as well.
Id like to see PJ and a Director involved myself.
thats strange all the props for it are in full production…
On hold doesn’t mean completely canceled. If they are paying the guys to make the props and its still possible that they will return to the project, there is no reason not to get them to finish the job.
Its not like they will get their money back if they cancel.
Halo not progressing is a true heartbreak for me. Bioshock is a fantastic game and should be a great movie, but yes, John is right. Video game movies don’t ever seem to pan out. Always something missing.
All video game movies suck. Did you say the same with Max Payne?
I can see a Zelda movie being insanely epic (not exaggerating…EPIC)
But Bioshock the game fucking SUCKS….I mean…are you serious? this game is so fucking retarded! One of the fatal weapons you use in it is a handful of bees
Also a Megaman or a Metroid movie would also be insanely cool if done right…also Link
And of course…
Halo.
=]
So I guess it winning awards means the game sucks and should be destroyed, eh?
He does bring up a good point on how stupid the bees coming out of your hands would look on screen.
Oh thats just my opinion, I think it blows but everyone else loves the game…I admit that people seem to like it but…I played it and I found it to be awful
I think if Peter Jackson was to do Halo, that it would be done right and would break the trend of bad video games movies.
Also, think Zelda, Metal Gear Solid, Gears of War, adn God of War would all make really good movies.
Yeah, almost all video game films suck but yeah I was almost starting to look forward to this one.
BTW Hazmat, I have the Halo script lol, yep it’s good
!?
Where the hell did you get the Halo script? Thats not even being made…is it?
Aaron doesn’t have the Halo script. It hasn’t been written yet.
I lol’ed
maybe he meant to say halo books?