Bioshock games have great potential in becoming films. Hell, they have great potential in becoming novels, a TV series, a comic-book adaptation or anything else. They’re games saturated in great stories, so it’s no wonder why talk of Bioshock hitting the big screen continues to circulate amongst fans.
Rumours of a Bioshock film began to spread during 2010, when Ken Levine – creator of Bioshock – expressed interest in the project. For a while it even seemed a certainty, with Director of Pirates of the Caribbean, Gore Virbinski heading the big-screen adaptation. But problems arose – Bioshock had to be an R (18) rated film in order to stay true to the original, and the budget for an underwater setting would be high. The project was passed onto another director, but Levine, unhappy with the direction it was taking, shut the project down entirely. A Bioshock film was suddenly and disappointingly unlikely to happen.
However, with the monolithic success of Bioshock Infinite, awareness in a film version of the plot-twisting video-games is rising. Actress Courtnee Draper, who plays Elizabeth, spoke out at the 2013 BAFTA Game Awards this March while talking to IGN about the possibility of playing her dimension-travelling character in a future film.
She was asked whether she’d be interested in reprising her role in a film, and responded, “Are you kidding me? Yes! Hopefully it doesn’t take 20 years and then I’m too old, and could only play Old Elizabeth, but I think that would be so phenomenal.”
Draper continued, “It’s something I’ve been talking to Ken about too because I’m excited for it, I’d be really excited to see that come to life on the big screen.”
So, it’s a little drop of hope for fanatics of the acclaimed franchise. With Draper in talks with Levine about acting as Elizabeth, the possibility of a film is certainly alive. Even though Draper’s comments should ultimately be taken with a sceptical amount of caution, it’s nevertheless refreshing to hear some news about a Bioshock film becoming a reality.
With that said, Irrational Games’ closing down might also affect the development of a film, so don’t feel optimistic just yet. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for any other hints – however small they might be.
What would you like to see in a Bioshock film? Would you want one?