Universal puts BioShock movie on hold

By Ellie Gibson Published 27 April, 2009

Might be filmed in London to save money.

Universal Pictures has placed the production of the BioShock film adaptation on hold.

According to Variety, it's all looking a bit too expensive with a proposed budget of USD 160 million. Some production staff have been made redundant and the film may be shot in London instead of LA to save money.

"We were asked by Universal to move the film outside the US to take advantage of a tax credit," said director Gore Verbinski. "We are evaluating whether this is something we want to do. In the meantime, the film is in a holding pattern."

Verbinski said he's still committed to make the film. In fact, he turned down the opportunity to direct a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film so he could make BioShock. He's got his own production company, Blind Wink, which could do the honours.

Universal is promising the film won't fall by the wayside like the Halo movie did. "No plug has been pulled on BioShock," the company told Kotaku. "Universal remains committed to making the project and Gore absolutely remains attached as director."

They're just extending the pre-production period, apparently, "So the studio and production can take a look at possible alternate shooting locations, available tax credits, foreign exchange rates and other elements that might help us make the film at a responsible budget."

The Eurogamer office is available at a very reasonable rate and is suitably damp, if they're interested.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (12) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Pirotic #1 3 years ago

    Film it in slough, I'm pretty sure they won't actually need to build any sets.

  • DFawkes #2 3 years ago

    Film it in Rapture, you'll save loads on sets. And actors, in fact, as long as you horde the ADAM to keep the splicers compliant.

    Not sure how a film would work though.

  • mega7ech #3 3 years ago

    Film it in New Mombassa.....oh, wait...

  • Bigglesworth #4 3 years ago

    Bet it ends up in that pumping house place, favoured of Red Dwarf and Gamesmaster.

  • kangarootoo #5 3 years ago

    "In the meantime, the film is in a holding pattern"

    /pedantry on

    A holding pattern is what you have when a group of several things is being placed in a formation suitable for awaiting orders which may result in further changes to formation (a group of cavalry horsemen for example). A single thing can't be in any kind of pattern, except one.

    /pedantry... in holding pattern

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #6 3 years ago

    Film it at Granada Studios! Go on, you know you want to. I can wander over and bother the cast. Or do free re-writes on set.

  • Azazel #7 3 years ago

    If they make this into a fucked up 18-rated kind of underwater Blade Runner/Dark City kind of thing then it could be something staggeringly brilliant.

    No doubt it will be focus-grouped to fucking death and turn out like Doom however.

  • unacomn #8 3 years ago

    They could shoot it in Romania. Flood season should come soon, they'll have a nature made city of Rapture.

  • metalangel #9 3 years ago

    Why is it not being filmed in Ireland, then? GAWD DAMN SPLOICERS!

  • actionfitz #10 3 years ago

    i'll donate a kidney for a walk on part as a splicer who gets minced by a big daddy :o

  • 3william56 #11 3 years ago

    "he turned down the opportunity to direct a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film "

    Well, that's three pieces of good news. One less sh*tty games movie, Bioshock doesn't get ruined by someone who could teach Ewe Boll a thing or two about making tosh, and perhaps someone with a squif of talent can take Jack Sparrow and put him in a decent movie.

    Champers all round.

    kanga - I think Ellie means "turnaround". Or, more fittingly, "development hell". Which is somewhere I personally hope Gorey Verby ends up some day, forced to explain the plot or PotC 3 and what the hell it had to so with pirates and the carriibean for all eternity.

  • cyber_nicco #12 3 years ago

    "A holding pattern is what you have when a group of several things is being placed in a formation suitable for awaiting orders which may result in further changes to formation (a group of cavalry horsemen for example). A single thing can't be in any kind of pattern, except one. "

    I believe a single plane at even an empty airport can be put in a "holding pattern". For instance, if they are awaiting permission to land. The pattern in this case could perhaps refer to the orbital path the plane takes while awaiting instructions.

    I think, at least.