Levine still hopeful for BioShock movie

Irrational Games boss Ken Levine hasn't given up on getting the stalled BioShock movie off the ground, but admits that getting it right presents a huge challenge.

Talk of putting Rapture on the big screen began back in 2008, with Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski nearly getting a project off the ground. However, it checked into development hell late last year due to budgetary concerns.

Speaking in an interview with IndustryGamers, Levine explained that he remained hopeful that the film will one day get made.

"I think we're in the space now of building properties that are appealing to people, and there's a version of BioShock that makes a great game and there's probably a version of BioShock that makes a great movie," he said.

"I think for us as a company, we don't have any need to get a movie made. We'd like to have a movie made, but it would have to be the right one, and we've had the opportunity to get it made and unless all the right pieces are in place – it's hard enough to get a movie made when all the right pieces are in place. If you don't start with the right pieces, you don't have a prayer.

"We've had a lot of great talks with great people about it. We got close to great people, but you always have to have all of those pieces in place and that's going to be very challenging.

"It's a moving puzzle, but I'm going to be continually talking to people about it," he added. "It's definitely something that's still in the conversation."

But what of the impending BioShock Infinite? Is there a chance that might leapfrog the original and make it to the big screen first?

"Right now, I think mostly about the game," he insisted. "And when it's done, and I have the story worked out completely - every single detail of it, I'll probably be more comfortable thinking about that. But right now I'm really just focused on BioShock Infinite as a game."

For more on how Levine's keenly anticipated new FPS is shaping up, cast an eye over Eurogamer's recent preview.