Bioshock was an attribute to horror, and steam punk fans worldwide in 2007. It combined the perfect blend of nostalgia from different era’s, and many walks of life into its narrative.
We walked the halls of Rapture hoping to seek refuge, and discover a way back to society from the hellish wreck that we had just escaped.
Instead, we found ourselves in the ultimate fight for survival against Splicers, and horrific creatures only Irrational Games, and creator Kevin Levine could scare up.
As if it weren’t enough to be trapped in a merciless state, we were even told that we would have to use the very Plasmid’s, and Eve Hypno that the splicers used, to develop our own powers to navigate the halls safely.
Bioshock, was the best game of 2007, and helped us experience the desperation, anxiety, and guilt, (If you chose to kill the little sisters) of decisions that we would face as if we were there ourselves.
It produced two sequel titles, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock: Infinite both of which gained critical acclaim.
“I am Andrew Ryan, and I’m here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? ‘No!’ says the man in Washington, ‘It belongs to the poor.’ ‘No!’ says the man in the Vatican, ‘It belongs to God.’ ‘No!’ says the man in Moscow, ‘It belongs to everyone.’ I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible.
I chose… Rapture, a city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality, Where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well. “- Andew Ryan Bioshock?
Yet we still haven’t seen a movie made, and why? The truth is that Universal Studios originally had Gore Verbenski attached to direct, but the project fell through due to budget concerns, in the amount of $200 million for production.
Gore wanted the movie to be a Hard rated R film, being explicit in gore, and brutality that was featured in the game itself, ( which is what made it so inspiring ) but Universal did not.
If you pair this with the fact that, Kevin Levine couldn’t get other attached directors to understand his vision, you ended up with a halted production.
Kevin Levine ultimately pulled the plug himself citing that he really didn’t see the match there. ( directors vs. the ideals)
“And so they brought another director in, and I didn’t really see the match there,” Levine said. “Take-Two is one of those companies that gives a lot of trust to their creative people, and so they said to me, ‘If you want to kill it Ken, kill it.’ And I killed it.”
“Which was weird, having been a screenwriter going around begging to rewrite any script to being in a position where you’re killing a movie that you worked so much on,” he added. “It was saying, ‘You know what? I don’t need to compromise.’ I had the [BioShock] world, and I didn’t what to see it done in a way I didn’t think was right.” – Kevin Levine on Bioshock Movie
While the possibility for Bioshock 3 is still up in the air, as Irrational Games was shut down in February of 2014, Levine and a select number of employees planned to start a “new venture” under the 2K Games umbrella that ” will focus entirely on replayable narrative.” The BioShock property itself however, remains in the hands of 2K.
We are overdue for a Bioshock movie and here’s why:
1. If you have played the games in chronological order ie. The system shock series, Bioshock Infinite, Bioshock, and Bioshock 2, you know how the story was developed and why.
If we put this with the fact that we were left with a Huuuge cliffhanger for Bioshock 2, then we know that Bioshock 3 could be developed to finish the story. Why not just make the movie for this? Because the narrative wouldn’t match, and furthermore it wouldn’t be a good jumping in point for new fans of the series.
” We all make choices, but in the end our choices make us. “ – Andrew Ryan Bioshock.
2. Should we see Andrew Ryan beginning his vision for rapture, as if he were a young JP Morgan, when everything was peaceful and prosperous? Or should we see it in its decline, when Frank Fontaine began to launch his smear campaign to dethrone him?
If we go with the latter the movie could switch from different perspectives which would clear up a lot of questions that have been left lingering for many fans such as: How didn’t Andrew Ryan have a contingency plan for rebels in Rapture, and did the U.S. Government have a hand in assisting its creation and prosperity?
3. Rapture was a decaying city by 1958, and it was due to Andrew Ryan’s lost control over his own creation. He indulged in the very tyrannical behavior he promised his citizens he would refrain from.
He nationalized Fontaine Futuristics’ in an attempt to advance the technology to push the ADAM research further, and develop modern marvels.
He created a “Disneyland” for Rapture dubbing it: Ryans Amusements, which was a theme park that doubled as a propaganda tool for the children of Rapture, with Ryan himself providing narration for many of the rides and animatronic set pieces.
Its primary purpose was warning of the evils of the Surface. The theme park embraced the city’s new ADAM-culture, exalting Plasmids like Incinerate!
” I remember when me and the Kraut put you on that sub. You were no more than two. You were my ace in the hole. But you were also the closest thing I’ve ever had to a son. That’s why this hurts, kid. Life isn’t strictly business. “ – Frank Fontaine to Jack.
If and when we get a Bioshock movie it will be a Horrific masterpiece, the likes of which we are clearly overdue for. I would be proud to see it in theatres, and fans worldwide would embrace it in all its glory.
The gore level would be perfect, as if having apple pie a-al -mode, and we would easily enjoy the narrative that we would be presented with.
If Sony pictures continues with the registered domains, and does adapt a movie by 2016, it will rival Marvel and DC’s feature film debut’s. It could also spark a new graphic novel to be created as well, which could serve as a tie in of sorts.
Will you splice up for Bioshock, and look forward to a feature film? Let us know below.
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Kenay Peterson
The Gaming Ground
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Tags: Bioshock, Bioshock movie, Irrational games, Kevin Levine, Rapture