BioShock director Francis Lawrence promises that his upcoming movie adaptation will stay true to the video game's tone. Released in 2007, the first BioShock game earned acclaim for its unpredictable story, visual design, and complex themes. A movie adaptation had long been stuck in development hell, but it was officially announced earlier this year that the BioShock movie would release on Netflix with Lawrence added as director in August. Few official details about the project are known at this stage, but the first game provides a general sense of what the story will be about, with protagonist Jack surviving a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean in 1960 and subsequently discovering the mysterious underwater city of Rapture.
In a recent interview with Collider, Lawrence discusses his working relationship with Netflix on the BioShock movie and how the dynamic allows him to honor the game's unique tone. While not divulging too many details about what audiences can expect from his BioShock adaptation, Lawrence reveals that he's been working closely with Take-Two Interactive, the game's publisher, and Ken Levine, the game's creative lead. Check out Lawrence's full comment below:
“There's always discussions about rating and tone. I don't want to get into it too much now because it's pretty early on in the process, but I certainly have not felt stifled in any way, or sent in any directions with Netflix. I mean, basically me and Cameron [MacConomy] who works with me, and Michael are getting to do what we want to do, which is great. A lot of it is staying really true to the game itself, and we're talking to Take-Two [Interactive] and Ken Levine."
What Bioshock's Tone And Rating Will Mean For The Film
Although stopping short of confirming the BioShock movie's rating, Lawrence's comment suggests it will likely be rated R or TV-MA. The original BioShock game is rated M for mature, which means that it is intended for gamers who are 17 or older. The game earned the rating for blood and gore, drug references, intense violence, sexual themes, and strong language, and Lawrence's comment hints that the movie adaptation will retain these same elements. Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski was previously attached to helm a BioShock movie for Universal in 2010, but the project was reportedly canned because of his insistence on an R rating, which was a big ask given the movie's expected price tag of $200 million.
Part of the reason BioShock remains so beloved is due to its tone and atmosphere. The game takes place almost entirely in a spooky underwater city, which is filled with threatening beings. BioShock's Big Daddies, for example, are spliced humans who have had their bodies fitted into giant mechanized diving suits with weapons built into one arm. Among these weapons is a large motorized drill which is used for some brutal and bloody kills. In addition to BioShock's gruesome violence, the game also prominently features a general sense of unease and tension, which means Lawrence's adaption may be best suited for mature audiences.
Many questions remain about the upcoming BioShock movie, but Netflix certainly seems to be giving Lawrence and his partners total creative freedom. While Universal may not have been willing to take the risk on an R-rated, $200-million movie, Lawrence's comment suggests that fans may indeed get something close to that with his adaptation (even though the movie's price tag will probably be lower). It doesn't sound like audiences should expect Lawrence's adaptation anytime soon, but the director's promise to stay true to the game is sure to make fans of the original BioShock video game franchise feel very optimistic.
Source: Collider