Bioshock - The Motion Picture

[Rapture_Tourist]

We got Doom, Resident Evil, Halo, Prince of Persia, Hitman, Wing Commander, Tomb Raider, Silent Hill and many other game-to-movie adaptions.

How about a Bioshock movie :)? I have to admit, I really would love to see it.

Maybe Christophe Gans is a good directer. I liked the visual atmosphere of Silent Hill, though the script could have been better. He surely would transfer the mood of Rapture....or Guillermo Del Toro?

[Necros]

I like the idea. :) It would have to be a big budget movie, at least 2 hours long with some good actors and a very good staff. With Ken looking over their shoulders of cours. :) But yes, it could work.

[Persistence]

I'd rather go for a System Shock movie set after the events of SS2. Primarily because I want to see Shodan on the big screen :eek:

[Rapture_Tourist]

What do you think of that First Person sequences in the Doom movie? I haven't seen the movie, but it was a nice try to convey the First Person Shooter experience.

I ask myself if a Bioshock movie should be told and shown by first person or third person (seeing the actor).

[Persistence]

Most importantly, directed by Uwe Boll, I think we all agree on that one ;)

Imagine, a System Shock movie directed by this fellow...

[Rapture_Tourist]

@Persistence: Because of Uwe Boll, I am sometimes ashame to be a German :D

[Persistence]

And you don't know a joke... ;)

[Rapture_Tourist]

And you don't know a joke... ;)

I got it, but I just like to make clear that Uwe Boll is no national hero here in Germany :P

[Persistence]

I really don't think YOU have to be ashamed because of HIS work...I merely think anyone who is working with him should be ashamed, regardless of their nationality.

[Necros]

What do you think of that First Person sequences in the Doom movie? I haven't seen the movie, but it was a nice try to convey the First Person Shooter experience.
I think that was cool. :cool:
I ask myself if a Bioshock movie should be told and shown by first person or third person (seeing the actor).
No. I think the movie should focus on the main character (so he'd have to get a more worked out background and personality) and the camera should stay close to him, sometimes the view could be from the first person perspective (during some horror sequences, like looking around and then running from a BD or mutating or something :)), sometimes from one angle, like from a camera; or from behind the actor's shoulder (like in Gears of War). So, the photography should be kinda original. But with someone with great visual style (like Pitof for example) it could be done.
But making this a good movie would be very hard it would cost a lot. So, I'm not too optimistic about it. It would be too risky for a big studio.

[Rapture_Tourist]

For Persistence :)

http://mitglied.lycos.de/merdna/boll.jpg

@Necros: Ok, question then is who should play the main character?

I suggest Ewan McGregor

[Persistence]

lol, thank you very much! :)

But I think this would even compliment Uwe Boll, or be a disgrace to Big Daddy for that matter...

[jackinthebox]

Most importantly, directed by Uwe Boll, I think we all agree on that one ;)

Imagine, a System Shock movie directed by this fellow...

i think i would commit instant suicide... this guy is just a dumb moron, Postal (the movie) is going to be crapiest film ever made >.<

@Rapture_Tourist: nice one^^

[MacarenaRowBot]

Id personally prefer they dont make a movie.
The cross polination between mediums seems to suggest that a game IP cant truly be considered big until it hits the film medium. I say the contrary. We know games like World of Warcraft have sold over 8 million. Any attempt to make a movie would be a money grab that would at most try to emulate the feeling you get when playing the game, and will more than likely fail even at that task.
I suppose its fair game to fantasize about a cinematic scenario set in this universe, but by god, movies just dont do games justice.

[Rapture_Tourist]

The thing is that a movie should differ from a game. A movie should not try to replace the gaming experience. It should be another take on the game's world, it's story and atmosphere. THEN you have a good movie.

Apart from that I don't think that WOW is a good franchise for a movie, because of the different background (MMOPRG).

Bioshock's main themes are fear, horror, loneliness, claustrophobia, the weapon of choice and being good or bad. This themes can be used in a motion picture, too.

Remember how we discussed a Prequel of Bioshock? I could imagine something like this for a movie.

[Raveness]

I'd rather see a Deus Ex movie. Imagine that conspiratorial story thrown in the faces of the masses nowadays, with the world in the state it is, this "Post 9/11 world".

If done close to the game, it should garner thoughtful, meaningful critiques on its subject matter due to its current relevance.

If someone does make it, please use Jay Anthony Franke for ADR ;)

[MacarenaRowBot]

Perhaps I was a little brash in my generalization. I think games that maintain a reliance on cinematics to progress a story could be translated into a movie. Most of the 'game movies' that have actually come out, are actually based on Japanese games. As such, American Film studios dont seem to know how to deal with the subject matter. They keep trying to Americanize it.
Then when an American game gets made into a film, they just have to choose a game like Doom that had no tangible Plot whatsoever.

Deus Ex? Great Idea! The game had great characters, a cool story, and could translate very well into a movie. As long as they followed the general themes of the game, and not feel the need to pay too many homages to the fact that it is indeed a 'game movie' it could be something truly awesome.

[D'Sparil]

One of the reasons I became so interested in BioShock to begin with, is its storyline and setting, which sets its very far apart from the current crowd of video game titles. A good story can, theoretically, translate into any medium if given the proper work by people who actually care about the product and are not just trying to exploit it for money from the masses.

Although I have to say the track record isn't good for videogame to movie translations so far. In my opinion, its started with that goofy Mario Brothers movie in the 80's (or early 90's I forget) that encouraged studios to make a few bucks off of popular video game characters without actually any thought to their universe or story, and how by not paying attention to that would ultimately not reach the actual fans of the games. A "dumbing down" so that the general public who didn't play Mario Brothers wouldn't feel left out but those of us who had played did not get to see the characters and world that we had grown to know.

Resident Evil dissapointed me for the same reason, too much variation with a superhuman kung-foo agent that while being kinda cool, didn't have significant relavance to the stories of the games. I liked the games alot and yet the movies left me with an empty feeling after watching them, which is a shame because when it was announced I had thought that maybe their vision would be realized correctly. I mean how hard can it be to screw up a zombie movie, right?

Umm... don't answer that.

Sorry if I am ranting the coffee is just starting to hit me nowish.... just don't want a surreal and potentially excellent storyline sold out to hollywood to make my experiences more bitter toward the product as a whole, especially while BioShock seems to have an excellence chance at standing on its own merits and getting much deserved recognition.

[Necros]

I'd rather see a Deus Ex movie. Imagine that conspiratorial story thrown in the faces of the masses nowadays, with the world in the state it is, this "Post 9/11 world".

If done close to the game, it should garner thoughtful, meaningful critiques on its subject matter due to its current relevance.

If someone does make it, please use Jay Anthony Franke for ADR ;)
There was a Deus Ex movie in the works (only in the planning stage, I think) but was shut down. :( It would make a great movie in my opinion too. Great and deep story with some serious messages and exploring various issues (like mercy killing for example), interesting characters, perfect movie material. :D But I'd love to see a sequel to the game too. :cool:

@Rapture_Tourist: I don't know but it should be an actor with strong character. Ewan might be a good choice.

[Raveness]

There was a Deus Ex movie in the works (only in the planning stage, I think) but was shut down. :( It would make a great movie in my opinion too. Great and deep story with some serious messages and exploring various issues (like mercy killing for example), interesting characters, perfect movie material. :D But I'd love to see a sequel to the game too. :cool:
That's the least of the issues it can address. Corporate/Government transparency, the pros & cons of meritocracy, our instincts of self preservation, backstabbing to get ahead, megalomania through power and greed, individual vs. collective, naeivity, disinformation, terrorism and its ambiguity, complacency towards authority, and the essentials of power corrupting.

[Necros]

That's the least of the issues it can address.
True. I just gave an example. But this list shows how complex that game was. :cool: Oh, how badly I want a Deus Ex 3... :D
And on this note, a little http://forum.hwsw.hu/html/emoticons/offtopic.gif. Here's (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070305/sheffield_01.shtml) a great interview with Warren Spector. I'm really looking forward to find out more about the game he and Doug Church (with Spielberg at EA) is working on. :cool:

[Raveness]

And on this note, a little http://forum.hwsw.hu/html/emoticons/offtopic.gif. Here's (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070305/sheffield_01.shtml) a great interview with Warren Spector. I'm really looking forward to find out more about the game he and Doug Church (with Spielberg at EA) is working on. :cool:
Good God! That's it, I want to have sex with that man's mind.

[Newbeing]

Ken Levine mentioned a few times in his interviews that Hollywood and games were sort of mashing together in the nineties and in a lot of ways it didn't work out all that well. So far every video game movie I have seen has been a huge disapointment. I think it is because movies and games are really apples and oranges. They may both be sweet, but you can't really make one be the other and if you do it usually yields some hideous fruit beast that should be put to death.
Bioshock really isn't the type of game that could work as a movie. For one, it is way too out there for Hollywood. Through their eyes it just wouldn't appeal to a mass audience. A hollywood exec. would look at the idea and say, "Throw in Lindsay Lohan as the little sister and a giant loveable CGI penguin as the Big Daddy and you've got yourself a deal."
The second reason, and probably the main reason to why video game to movie adaptions fail is that their pacing is far too different. In a VG you could spend two hours on one stage alone, slowing picking away at story elements and building a sense of character through gameplay. A movie has to take that and mash it neatly into a two hour action fest.

It's not to say that all video game movies are horrible, but most just completely misunderstand why people love those games. They assume that Resident Evil was an action crazed, boobfests with little to know plot, when in reality most of the games had great plots, great characters, and fairly slow, suspense filled scenes. The transistion is just too rough.

So in point, I'm not to pleased by the idea of a Bioshock Film. Sorry.

[Da Bubs]

I would want to see it if it were a thoughtful well made movie, but we all know that that isnt going to happen.:( so we are just going to have to settle for the first trailer, the drill throught the hand and him shooting bugs out of his arm was awesome.

I borrowed Doom from a freind, not a good movie, the first-person sequence was sort of cool thought.

so, in order to finish this post I would like to say that when they were handing out brains Owe Boll must have gotten gelatin

[Rapture_Tourist]

@Newbeing: Your critics against hollywood movies are true, but thats no reason against making a good Bioshock movie. Its not like there is only Hollywood and how movies are made there. There are so many great movies, not just made to be enjoyed by the big audience and with all those cliches.

It just depends on the people you talk to and who should make the movie.

And I am kind of shocked that you believe that a good movie " has to take that and mash it neatly into a two hour action fest." If you stay with a good story, atmosphere, some creepy moments, great characters and many elements of the game, a Bioshock movie could be a great piece of work, without being a full Hollywood blockbuster thrillride. Games and movies are just different experiences. And it depends on what you expect from a movie.

[LowEnergyCycle]

Good God! That's it, I want to have sex with that man's mind.

Thanks a bunch Raveness. I just nearly wet myself laughing in the workplace. :o

[Corgano]

If they do a movie of Bioshock, they should get the same guy that did, 'Pitch Black' and 'The Chronicals of Riddick'. Now, that guy knew how to create some truly great moods. I think it would be more like Pitch Black though. DOOM the movie was interesting, but looked too much like Aliens for my tastes.

[Renight]

If they did make a movie, which I personally think they shouldn't, they should make it not scary, and make it follow the game, alot. Like a big daddie appears more then once, and traps. (ie; the demo showed 3 splicers on the celing after making it dark and secure.)

[Anthropoid]

I don't think the problems of many past video-game-to-movie adaptations would apply to Bioshock.
First of all, Bioshock has a much deeper plot than most games. It tackles numerous broad themes intelligently and relevantly, with a steady focus on the dangers of philosophical extremism, as Levine pointed out sometime somewhere. Allusions to Ayn Rand and objectivism are inserted expertly, and I find the sort of reverse crusade that occurs in Rapture particularly interesting. The script writers for any potential film adaptation would probably want to excise gaming allusions-- e.g. Atlas saying, "would you kindly find a crowbar or something"-- and the "man"/slave dichotomy would lose much of its impact if the audience is not forced to interact, but there is more than enough depth for a two-hour film. The quality characterization, plot structure, and classic literary devices are all already there.
Of course, the plot structure is arguable, but not unfixable. In fact, as I played Bioshock, I found myself wishing it were paced more like a movie. When I was engaging in a largely uninspired fetch quest, I pined for the kind of plot advancement I would see in a film, even if it meant for a shorter experience.
I think Newbeing has a point in stating that Hollywood would not see Bioshock as a source material with mass appeal. The idea would need to be pitched to someone who has actually played the game and appreciated its depth. Otherwise the producers would think of it as a game-to-movie adaptation first and foremost instead of a film presentation of a great story in a compelling setting. It could be pitched as a horror film, though I think the ideal manifestation of the film would transcend that genre.
I personally would much like to see a Bioshock movie.

[37inf.div.]

I would love two see Bioshock the movie
You could release two versions in theatears 1 with the good ending one with the bad

[no0dle]

would be good to see, but the chances of it happening is slim

[frank_fry]

It would be great if this happens, but as a person who is really into both games and (sort of) makes movies, first person elements really don't work. The point of the FP view in a game is immersion, but in a movie, it's kinda dumb. Like the game, it would be a horror movie, but it would be better if the director stayed away from FPS style shots. and for director, it would be cool if it was like alfonso cuaron, because I really loved Children of Men, and he's really good.

[Jerri Blank]

Bioshock would make a much better novelization than movie. If something as shallow as Halo can give rise to a whole series, surely Bioshock merits a book or two. I'd read 'em.



jb

[fidel998]

Christopher walken as Andrew Ryan would be awesome.

[AngelGraves13]

I'm working on a script for it. I don't even know what I have to do to get it out there one day. I'm sure I'd have to talk to 2K.

I was thinking Clancy Brown as Andrew Ryan.

[Osuperman]

I think it'd make a better movie than game.

[Psimon]

First of all, I loved Bioshock (and consider it the GOTY).

My gut feeling is this is a horrible idea. Hollywood has a track record of making really bad movies based on video games. The movie would also likely fall into one of two categories

1. They make a movie that follows the game's plot exactly (or is very faithful to it). It'd bore us, we done this already.

2. They deviate from the game's plot or story, in which case we'd be outraged.

I guess it boils down to whether they get a really good screenplay and a decent director who likes Bioshock and believes in it. True for most movies. Hollywood just goes to cash in on video game themes, though, and usually cares less if the movie is done right or not.

[DemonCommander]

Bioshock: The Movie
Director: Uwe Boll
Writers: Paul W.S. Anderson, Micheal Bay
Starring: Vin Diesel as Jack, Anthony Hopkins as Andrew Ryan, John Cusack as Frank Fontaine
Budget: Thirty-two pence, a 20-year-old bus ticket, a used condom, some cigarette ends and a lollipop stick
Release: 28th May 2008
Tagline: One Man. One City. Evil Little Girls. WTF.

just an idea of what would happen if this movie were to be made... :p

[Jerri Blank]

I'm working on a script for it. I don't even know what I have to do to get it out there one day. I'm sure I'd have to talk to 2K.

I was thinking Clancy Brown as Andrew Ryan.

Why not the guy who voices Ryan? Armin Schimerman (sp?)?



jb

[DemonCommander]

Why not the guy who voices Ryan? Armin Schimerman (sp?)?

i was thinking the same thing, but it depends on what he looks like.

[WizardEyes]

they cant play it off as a video game to movie thing. like if its called "bioshock the movie" i doubt it would hold up to our expectations, they need to make a high budget movie and try not to make it video game like while still holding true to the story, plot and all that

[Toasty the Splicer]

Well JIm Carry could be a thugish splicer.

[Anthropoid]

I think that's very possibly true, Osuperman. It's a difficult comparison, though, as the movie would need a modified thematic structure. It would be great if a film version could comment on movies' manipulation of the viewer similarly to the manner in which the game comments on games' manipulation of the player...

[KING]

I think Bioshock would make a great film, what with the amazing plot and everything. Also some fights with big daddys would be pretty interesting!

[Erico Awesomo]

i think someone should get a camera and put it facing the tv while someone plays through the whole game, thatll probably get an award or something

[veroyankee117]

ya that sounds cool
:)

[RJ SHATZ]

I'd say M. Night Shamalamadingdonglayan with Michael Fox and Stephen King.
That'd work. It would.

[adadk]

Why not the guy who voices Ryan? Armin Schimerman (sp?)?
jb

Armin Shimerman. He played Quark (the Ferengi bartender) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He's like 5 foot 2.
Andrew Ryan seems a little taller...

[Foniks Munky]

Trevor from Aeon Flux should play Ryan.I mean the cartoon,not that crap movie.

[Mosslow]

First of all, I loved Bioshock (and consider it the GOTY).

My gut feeling is this is a horrible idea. Hollywood has a track record of making really bad movies based on video games. The movie would also likely fall into one of two categories

1. They make a movie that follows the game's plot exactly (or is very faithful to it). It'd bore us, we've done this already.

2. They deviate from the game's plot or story, in which case we'd be outraged.

I guess it boils down to whether they get a really good screenplay and a decent director who likes Bioshock and believes in it. True for most movies. Hollywood just goes to cash in on video game themes, though, and usually cares less if the movie is done right or not.

You've got a point here. Look at Halo, we've been hearing "Coming Soon" then it gets delayed and we never hear about it again. As for other video game related movies, when they actually manage to bring movies to theaters, they end up sucking.

Personally, I think we should just stick with the game itself. Most video game movies are all hype and then nobody likes it. In fact, it gets to the point of disgust at the mention of the film.

If they do make the movie, I'll probably give it a go and probably never mention it again. The chances of success for this extermely intricate plot are 1/10. Imagine all the extras, splicers and scientists, doctors, artists etc.

This is just my opinion, I'm not trying to offend anyone.

[Spudnik123]

Am I the only one who feels that a movie off of Bioshock shouldn't take the action/adventure approach? I would love to see a movie depicting the pre civil war/ civil war era with a Godfather esque approach. Less action more talking. It could possibly be told from one of Fontaine's or Atlas's followers point of view.

[BioShocked62]

Ok here's how it should play out it shouldn't start where the game starts it should show us rapture at it's finest then show us what began to happen and go wrong then jack's plane crashes we go through the game path he saves the little sisters and after he beats atlas we see him afterwards with the little sisters coming out of the sphere he tells people what happened only for scienetists to go down and the splicers come up but the scientists don't and now both endings to the game where the little sisters are safe and the splicers are released are both in

[Dax]

I was thinking about this during the previewg of I AM LEGEND. It would be awesome, but I wouldn't trust any person to write it other than Ken.

[prateeko]

Sorry if I'm rehasing something that's already been covered, but a BioShock film would kick ass but I think it's quite a ways off from being made.

For starters, I really expect a prequel to come out for BioShock, which would be important to any film made as you can't make a film about rapture and NOT address it's rise/fall.

A BioShock film could be awesome, but I'm apprehensive just looking at the list you've posted. Most of those films have been quite poor and few have really stayed true (in spirit or story) to the games they are based on :(

[Anthropoid]

I think the rise and fall of Rapture is already pretty well fleshed out in the audio tapes of the game. I think Spudnik123's idea of how the film plot should play out is pretty good, but I still think I prefer the punch-in-the-gut en medias res opening of the game with the history of the setting uncovered piece by piece. It adds mystery and suspense as the audience discovers the characters and the horror of Rapture. If possible, I'd prefer that sort of presentation in the film. But good luck to the script writer who tries to integrate sufficient backstory with a plot structure like that. The convenient plethora of audio tapes was conspicuous enough in the game; it would probably seem even more ridiculous in a movie.

[Rebelxd9]

:D
I think Will Smith should be Jack ....

[Foniks Munky]

Not Vin Diesel?

[DemonCommander]

Not Vin Diesel?

If Vin Diesel were to be cast as Jack, i would go on a brutal chainsaw-wielding killing spree. Vin Diesel is a crap actor, most of his movies suck like xXx and The Chronicles of Riddick. He would be awful as Jack, just as he is in any other movie.

[DoomNinjaQua]

I was thinking the same thing just last night, I mean the whole reason I was captivated in the first place was because of the great story line, the voice acting and the originality. I think if they tried hard enough, it could be one of the best game to movie transfers to come out yet. I think people are just too lazy to work that hard on it though. Shame, it would be beautiful.

[DoomNinjaQua]

:D
I think Will Smith should be Jack ....


If they ruined this game for me by using Will Smith in the movie as the character, I would never forgive them. I would probably hunt them down and smack their babies in the face. Will Smith=CRAP

This part would need someone GOOD, real GOOD. too bad daniel day lewis doesn't make movies anymore....

[Foniks Munky]

I should have used the sarcasm emoticon.Sorry.I bought Saving Private Ryan just so I could watch Vin Diesel being shot repeatedly.Still cheers me up to this day.

After seeing I am Legend,in which a highly paid scriptwriter completely ignored the source material and managed to still screw up a ZOMBIE movie,I've decided while Hollywood could make good translations from other media,they're so in love with themselves they assume anything other than an original movie is crap,and merely use the license as a hook to entice people who've experienced the book/game/whatever.I'm amazed Mist was any good.

If they can't even do a zombie story any justice,imagine how Bioshock would get butchered.They'd give us Resident Evil:Waterlogged.

Serious pick for Jack:Christian Bale.Or Keanu Reeves,but then everybody would know he's artificial.Too bad Vincent Price can't be Ryan.And Daniel Day-Lewis is going to be in a movie called There Will Be Blood about oil.

[Alecterum]

~I don't agree with BioShock being a very good movie unless of course as already stated you have Ken writing the screenplay and a producer whose an avid fan of the games and they work really well together.~

~Christopher Walken would make THE best Andrew Ryan, in my opinion.~

~I was really disappointed with The Resident Evil movies. The first one was good having several elements of the games and also that it's not all action but has some character development but it fizzles in Resident Evil: Apocolypse which was comical at best and a complete waste at worst. I didn't even go and see Resident Evil: Extinction. I read Thomas A. Ramos (I think that's who it was, the writer/direction of 'Night of The Living Dead') scripts to Resident Evil and found it to be pure genius (those sites I had are now lost to 404 errors, sorry)~

~I do think the best medium for BioShock would be in novelization. Two books is enough, you have a Pequal telling of Rapture's creation until the plane crash and then you have the novel of the actual game, maybe told from Jacks POV (point of view)~

~In general, keep games to games, books to books and movies to movies, they just don't work without the right people and enough dedication to be thought of as either outrageous because it didn't stay true to the story or boring because they did as said in previous posts~

~Alecterum~