Netflix’s ‘BioShock’ Movie Is “Getting Close,” Says Director Francis Lawrence

Few video game adaptations have spent as long in development limbo as ‘BioShock’. Universal first acquired the film rights back in 2008, and over the years names like Gore Verbinski and Guillermo del Toro were linked to bringing the underwater city of Rapture to the big screen, only for those efforts to fall apart.

Netflix revived the project in 2022, partnering with 2K and Take-Two Interactive and later tapping ‘The Hunger Games’ director Francis Lawrence to helm it. ‘Logan’ and ‘Blade Runner 2049’ writer Michael Green came aboard to pen the script, with producer Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment also attached.

Now the director has shared his latest progress report. Speaking to The Direct, Lawrence said he’s still actively working on the Netflix adaptation and that the team is getting close to cracking it, though he admitted it remains a difficult puzzle to solve.

The biggest challenge, he explained, is baked into what makes the game special. In ‘BioShock’, the player essentially is the main character, which means the film has to create a protagonist from scratch and drop him into a world Lawrence lovingly described as wildly unhinged in the most amazing way.

Lawrence stressed that he’d love nothing more than to make the movie. He also recently told GamesRadar+ that he’s been dying to get it made and is feeling good about where the script is heading.

The live-action ‘BIOSHOCK’ movie is “getting close,” according to director Francis Lawrence, who says cracking the game’s world and story remains a challenge. (Via: @TheDirect) https://t.co/qGGUryUnvs

— The Hollywood Handle (@HollywoodHandle) October 28, 2026

The creative puzzle isn’t the only obstacle. Lawrence also pointed to Netflix’s recent leadership changes, calling the corporate shuffling the kind of thing he’d rather not have to deal with.

That’s a familiar storyline for this project. The film was announced while Scott Stuber ran Netflix’s film division, and it was reworked after Dan Lin took over, with Lee revealing in 2024 that the budget had been scaled back in favor of a more personal take rather than a grand, sprawling production.

Guillermo Del Toro reveals what happened to his BioShock movie and the challenge with adapting video games https://t.co/lH6KgBG2a4

— IGN (@IGN) September 30, 2026

Fans do at least know which story the film is tackling. Lee previously confirmed the movie will be based on the 2007 original, which follows a plane crash survivor named Jack into Rapture, an underwater dystopia built by business magnate Andrew Ryan.

That setting is a big part of the appeal. The franchise has sold more than 39 million copies worldwide, and Lawrence has praised the series for its rare combination of real philosophical ideas and an unforgettable aesthetic.

That remains up in the air. Lawrence has been busy with ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’, which opens next month, and when asked whether ‘BioShock’ would be his next project, he said you never know.

He compared development to a horse race, explaining that factors like script readiness, actor availability and shooting windows determine which film moves first. His schedule is also crowded by ‘Red Rising’, which he has signed on to direct for Paramount.

Lee has previously said Netflix and Take-Two are eager to align the movie’s release with a new incarnation of the game. The next installment is currently in development at Cloud Chamber, though filming on the adaptation hadn’t been expected to begin until at least early 2027.

There’s still no cast, production start date, or release window for the film. But after nearly 2 decades of false starts, hearing the director say the project is close to a breakthrough is about as encouraging as ‘BioShock’ news gets.

For fans who have watched this adaptation sink and resurface time and again, cautious optimism might be the best approach. If Lawrence can finally crack the code, Rapture could become one of the most distinctive worlds ever brought to life from a video game.

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