Netflix’s Bioshock movie: Everything we know so far

Netflix is stepping up to deliver a Bioshock movie, something fans of the game have been craving for years. Here’s what we know about the project so far.

Anyone who’s played the Bioshock games will know the dark waters of Rapture and the politically-charged skies of Columbia make for a complex — and rather sadistic — environment.

With three games already, and Bioshock 4 in the works, there’s a lot of lore to dig into. Still, attempts in the past to bring the title to the small screen have failed. So, here’s hoping this new movie can fix that.

We’ve seen various streaming services succeed with shows like The Last of Us and Fallout of late, so let’s see if the Bioshock movie can follow the trend.

Does the Bioshock movie have a release date?

There is no release date at the moment. The movie is still in development and could be a few years out still at this point.

We may even have to wait for the new game to arrive before the Netflix movie truly gets off the ground. But, progress on the film is steady.

In an interview with Collider, writer Michael Green confirmed the project is on track following the Writers Strike. Green revealed Netflix are excited about the project, and said he’s been “meeting regularly” with director, Francis Lawrence, to “refine a draft” of the script.

With the script still being worked on, it’ll be years before the Bioshock movie is complete. We’re thinking 2026 at the earliest, maybe even 2027.

Bioshock movie plot and setting rumors

Judging by promotional artwork used for the movie so far, it looks like we’ll be spending time in Rapture, the setting for the first two games.

The only picture used for the promotional material for the movie features the game’s Big Daddy enemy, alongside a Little Sister. The Big Daddy featured is akin to the ones seen in the first game, instead of the alternative ones introduced in Bioshock 2.

It’ll be interesting to see how close to the source material the movie will stay. The premise originally sees a man called Jack unexpectedly finding his way to Rapture and having to battle his way through the sights, sounds, and unimaginable horrors of a broken, dystopian city.

Still, we know that Lawrence, the director, is committed to the source material. He told Collider: “I think it’s one of the best games ever created. It’s also 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… The sort of combo of real ideas and philosophies mixed with the unbelievable aesthetic of it.”

Lawrence also spoke to how the game doesn’t just cement itself into one genre. “One of the other things that I love is that strange mashup of genre, the idea that you have what feels like a period piece, mixed with body horror, mixed with sci-fi.

“It’s one of those great mashups, and I think it can be really unique and really beautiful and really entertaining.”

In the same interview, Lawrence discussed the dark and gruesome nature of Bioshock, reassuring fans that the film will not be forced by Netflix to tone itself down. Lawrence also revealed he and his team are working closely with Take-Two Interactive and Ken Levine, the game’s creator.

Who’s in the cast?

No cast members have been announced yet. We do know who is writing and directing the movie, though, with Michael Green and Francis Lawrence attached.

Francis Lawrence, director of I Am Legend and a bunch of Hunger Games movies, has signed on to direct. Lawrence has extensive experience bringing action-packed, morally gray dystopian worlds to life, so he’s well suited here.

Michael Green is penning the screenplay for the Bioshock movie. Similar to Lawrence, Green has form writing for dystopian worlds, having written Blade Runner 2049 and the X-Men movie, Logan.

Is there a trailer for the Bioshock movie?

Netflix hasn’t provided a trailer for Bioshock just yet. The movie hasn’t even started shooting yet.

Once production has started to move along nicely, expect Netflix to drop a sneaky teaser for the Bioshock movie. The streamer then usually shares a proper trailer much closer to the final release date.

For more new movies streaming soon, learn all about Extraction 3 or A Family Affair. You can also dive into other game adaptations with our guide to The Last of Us Season 2.