Picture Credit: 2K
Announced four years ago, Netflix dropped the news that they were officially working on a movie adaptation of the video game franchise Bioshock with Vertigo Entertainment and 2K, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Now, as of early 2026, we finally have a clearer picture of the production timeline and the creative direction. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming adaptation.
Rumors have been circling for quite some time that Netflix is getting its hands on a BioShock adaptation, with both a series and movie being floated. A Bioshock project has been in development before, previously set up at Sony Pictures and Universal. On February 15th, 2022, Netflix officially announced the project.
Who is behind Bioshock on Netflix?
Vertigo Entertainment is the main production company behind the movie. They’ve been behind hits such as It, The Lego Movie, and The Grudge. For Netflix, Vertigo Entertainment has worked on Death Note, Extinction, The Mother starring Jennifer Lopez, and The Witch Boy and Reborn, a co-production with Fortis Films.
In August 2022, Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, I Am Legend) was announced to direct and produce the live-action adaptation. Michael Green (Blue Eye Samurai, Logan) is writing the screenplay.
As of early 2026, Lawrence remains firmly attached to the project. However, production has been waiting for him to complete his work on the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. Producer Roy Lee recently indicated that BioShock is looking to move into high gear once Lawrence finishes post-production on that project in late 2026.
CEO & Chairman of 2K, Strauss Zelnick, serves as an executive producer. In a statement, he noted:
“Netflix is among the best and most forward-thinking storytellers in all of entertainment today. We are thrilled that they share our vision and commitment to the BioShock franchise… we remain highly confident that BioShock will continue to captivate and engage audiences like never before.”
What is Bioshock and what will the movie cover?
First released in 2007, Bioshock is the critically acclaimed video game series set in an underwater city called Rapture. While there were questions about whether the film would cover the original game or its sequel, Bioshock Infinite, recent production updates in 2025 and 2026 have confirmed the film will be a direct adaptation of the first game.
The story follows Jack, a survivor of a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean who discovers the entrance to Rapture, a decaying “utopia” built by industrialist Andrew Ryan.
The franchise has been dormant since 2013, but that is set to change. Cloud Chamber Studios is currently developing a fourth entry in the video game franchise. While the game faced some internal delays in 2025, it is currently tracking for a release window that may align with the film’s eventual debut in 2027 or 2028.
Picture: 2K Games
Where is Netflix’s Bioshock in Production?
Development
Filming Scheduled
Filming Ongoing
Post-Production
Since the project was first announced, it has undergone a “reconfiguration.” In July 2024, Roy Lee and Francis Lawrence stated that the film’s budget had been scaled down to be more “personal” and atmospheric, rather than a sprawling $200 million blockbuster.
In May 2025, Lawrence confirmed he had received a new draft of the script and was meeting with Michael Green. The latest update as of February 2026 suggests the script is in a “very strong place,” but filming is not expected to begin until at least early 2027. This is to allow Francis Lawrence to clear his schedule and for Netflix to finalize the casting process later this year although don’t count that as set in stone.
Writer Andrew Kevin Walker told Collider in the latest update, “We’re just waiting for him [Francis Lawrence] to finish post-production, because he’s going to be working on it through at least September, and then jump back into it. I know that Netflix and Take-Two are very anxious to see the movie come out because they want to have the release coincide with some of the potential new incarnations of the game.” Producer Roy Lee added cautiously, “It’s steadily on the path, but you know how it goes. It’s… so many things could get in the way, but I know that the intent is to hopefully get in production next year.”
Netflix isn’t the first to tackle a Bioshock Adaptation
Universal Pictures once developed a Bioshock movie with Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) directing. It was famously canceled in 2009, just weeks before production started, due to concerns over the R-rating and the massive budget.
Netflix’s approach—leaning into a tighter, more character-driven horror perspective—seems designed to avoid the pitfalls that killed the original 2009 attempt.
Back in March 2020, Scott Wampler from Birth Movies Death managed to get to read the script and reflected on why it didn’t get made at the time.
BioShock is just one of several projects Netflix is adapting from established video game franchises, alongside Gears of War and upcoming Pokémon projects.
Are you excited about Netflix’s upcoming Bioshock movie adaptation? Let us know in the comments down below.
