Universal, 2K Developing BioShock Film

Publisher 2K Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, has announced an agreement with Universal Pictures to develop a film based on its first-person shooter BioShock, currently available for Xbox 360 and PC. Neither company has offered a likely date for the movie’s release or details on the agreement’s terms. Gore Verbinski, director of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, is slated to direct and produce the film. John Logan, Academy Award-nominated writer of Gladiator, The Aviator and Sweeney Todd, is currently in talks to write BioShock’s screenplay. Developed by 2K Boston and 2K Australia, BioShock has sold over 2 million units worldwide since its release in August 2007. The game has also won several “Game of the Year” awards from organizations such as The Associated Press and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Take-Two has already announced a sequel for 2009. Said Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick: "We are excited that 2K Games' vision for BioShock will be carried forward in a new medium. BioShock has been hailed as one of the most highly cinematic and richly plotted titles in interactive entertainment, making it extremely well-suited to film. In partnering with Universal and Gore Verbinski, we have assembled a team that respects the uniqueness of BioShock and will translate it into a powerful movie experience." Zelnick continued: "Our ability to attract a major studio and unparalleled creative team speaks volumes about the strength of our BioShock franchise. It also demonstrates how Take-Two is delivering value based on our strategy of creating and owning our industry's most powerful intellectual property."