Highlights
- BioShock's significant impact on gaming through narrative and design paved the way for a movie adaptation.
- Borderlands' film reveal caused initial confusion and some disappointment when it turned out not to be for the anticipated fourth game and missed an opportunity for coordinated releases.
- BioShock 4's development remains veiled in secrecy, but the upcoming film offers the potential for a well-executed simultaneous launch.
BioShock upended gaming conventions via its narrative and philosophical considerations married to engaging combat and an unforgettable setting. Irrational Games' 2007 FPS has since become a cherished classic and design touchstone. ​​​​​​BioShock's environment and story were also frequently presented with a heavy cinematic flair, and it seemed only a short step for it to make the jump to live-action. Indeed, after the success of the first title, a film version was planned for 2011, but various issues arose and this did not pan out.
Similarly, Gearbox Studios' Borderlands pioneered the looter shooter genre in 2009 and introduced audiences to its brand of futuristic sci-fi humor and absurdity that contained a lot of heart and emotional resonance as well, making it ripe for its own adaptation. The Borderlands film was announced in 2015 and will hit theaters this summer. Its timing, however, was a bit awkward, as many fans expected the leadup to the movie's reveal to actually be for the next game. While that announcement eventually followed, it seemed like a big missed opportunity to coincide the two. BioShock now finds itself in a spot where it could capitalize in the same way, as both its fourth installment and a revitalized film project are currently in the works.
Although still technically in production, little information regarding BioShock 4 's direction and other details have been forthcoming for quite some time.
Netflix's Bioshock Movie Could Be More Relevant Than Ever
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The BioShock Film Would be Wise to Avoid One Borderlands Misstep
Borderlands' Movie Announcement and Borderlands 4
Gearbox seemed to have initially employed a bit of a misdirection, intentionally or not, as the preceding teasers regarding the film had a number of fans assuming they would be related to the expected Borderlands 4. But it wasn't until well after the movie had been largely completed that Borderlands 4 was officially confirmed. This created a bit of a gap between the hype and excitement for both, and as of now, BL4 will still likely not arrive for another year or so given previous release patterns. Still, the film is set to tide fans over while waiting for the next game, and hopefully, is enough to maintain momentum and interest until then.
The Borderlands film will hit theaters on August 9, 2024.
BioShock 4 and the BioShock Movie Releasing Concurrently Would be Perfectly Complementary
BioShock's live-action version was originally planned to be released alongside the third entry, BioShock Infinite, at the time. However, due to several hurdles, the project ended up being canceled, while Infinite itself was delayed until 2013, making the entire situation a bit of a mess. BioShock 4 was later confirmed to be in development in 2019, helmed by Cloud Chamber, a then newly formed studio. Worryingly again though, numerous unofficial leaks and rumors have since painted BioShock 4 as having an allegedly rocky development.
After years of languishing in limbo, the reworked BioShock cinematic attempt was announced in 2022 and will be produced and distributed by Netflix in partnership with IP owner 2K/Take-Two. Creators involved in the BioShock film have stated it will stay quite true to the canon story and characters of the first game, which likely pleases fans, as the Borderlands film faced criticism for its perceived changes to some of the core elements. It's thus encouraging that it so far seems to be on track, although according to current information, it also probably won't be complete or released until 2026 or later.
This might actually prove to be a silver lining, however, since it would possibly give both projects enough time to be formed properly, and then coordinate and coincide a calculated, simultaneous release to capitalize on each other. Given BioShock's legendary status, both upcoming works have a lot of weight resting on their shoulders. It would therefore potentially be in the best interest to time their launches together, and maximize their impact by doing so.
