The 'BioShock' Movie Isn’t Dead: Here’s What’s Actually Holding It Up

Ben MundSat, February 21, 2026 at 6:45 PM UTC

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(Photo by SOPA Images on Getty Images)

Netflix’s long-gestating BioShock movie just showed signs of life again. And it also delivered a clue about why it’s taking so long, and when it might finally move forward.

Producer Roy Lee, who is attached to the adaptation of the 2007 video game, said the project is still moving ahead at Netflix, despite years of delay. He also suggested the film is being eyed to line up with 'potential new incarnations' of the franchise on the gaming side, hinting at coordination with whatever comes next for BioShock.

His explanation shows that BioShock isn’t necessarily a straight game-to-screen property. Rapture, the game's underwater Art Deco city built on a utopian promise gone very, very wrong, is a built-in hook for broader entertainment.

The first game’s premise is already cinematic. A lone survivor arrives after a plane crash, steps into a decaying paradise, and discovers a society undone by ambition and violent ideology. It’s also a setting that fans insist can’t be watered down without losing the point.

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For Netflix, the ongoing question is why they have yet to adapt the game. The success of Prime Video's Fallout, another post-apocalyptic flavored video game adaptation, suggests it could be a huge hit.

But Lee’s update also points to the practical bottleneck of director Francis Lawrence’s schedule. Lawrence has been attached for years, but he’s been occupied with other studio commitments. Lee indicated Lawrence is expected to be tied up in post-production on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping until at least September, which pushes BioShock further down the schedule.

The timing talk also comes with a longer horizon than some fans may want. Lee floated 2027 as a plausible target to begin production. That's an estimate that tracks with the reality of a high-design, effects-heavy film that would need extensive prep to build a convincing Rapture, not just shoot a handful of sets and hope that's enough to nail the atmosphere.

If the 'sync it with a game' idea is real, it could cut two ways. Coordinated releases can bring a built-in marketing lift, especially for a recognizable title. But it can also mean the movie’s timetable is chained to another moving target, one that has already been in development limbo for a long time.

For now, Lee’s comments don’t answer the biggest unknowns including possible casting, a firm production start, or how closely the movie will hew to the original story. What they do provide is a clearer picture of the hold-up, plus confirmation the project hasn’t completely dropped off the calendar. In BioShock terms...the lighthouse is still on.

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This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”