Gore Verbinski Talks BioShock Film Failure

[Arkley]

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I understand perfectly well. I have played them, after all.

It really doesn't. If you look at Bioshock 2, that's nowhere as near as fucked up as 1, and they're never going to remake the story from the games are they. They're going to make something similar, related to the games, in the same universe and all, but different.

Neither of the examples I gave are specific to either Bioshock game - they're constants of the Bioshock universe. It doesn't matter if you're making an entirely new plot. The nature of Adam and the Little Sisters alone would compel an R/18+ rating. If you drastically alter the lore behind the Sisters and Adam (among other things), you're diluting some of the key elements of Rapture.

There's a reason this guy didn't want to make the picture if he couldn't get approval for an R-rating. It's because dancing under the line of R/18+ would mean removal or dilution of many of the things that make Rapture and the Bioshock universe so original and unique. If you can't show audiences what makes Bioshock so incredible in the first place, what's the point in making a movie?

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

To be honest, I'm kind of glad it got put on hold. If you're going to make a movie about Bioshock, it needs to get the R-rating and portray all of the gore, horror, and sadness inherent to the game.

 

[Tomo Stryker]

either make it right or don't make it at all Take-Two.

You can't hit Take Two for this, the funding didn't come because it was R rated. But I wouldn't have had it any other way, Bioshock was a serious game (at least I took it that way) and I don't think I could respect Gore for doing this on a low budget. He bowed out and I'm glad he did.

 

[KaosuHamoni]

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I understand perfectly well. I have played them, after all.

It really doesn't. If you look at Bioshock 2, that's nowhere as near as fucked up as 1, and they're never going to remake the story from the games are they. They're going to make something similar, related to the games, in the same universe and all, but different.

Neither of the examples I gave are specific to either Bioshock game - they're constants of the Bioshock universe. It doesn't matter if you're making an entirely new plot. The nature of Adam and the Little Sisters alone would compel an R/18+ rating. If you drastically alter the lore behind the Sisters and Adam (among other things), you're diluting some of the key elements of Rapture.

There's a reason this guy didn't want to make the picture if he couldn't get approval for an R-rating. It's because dancing under the line of R/18+ would mean removal or dilution of many of the things that make Rapture and the Bioshock universe so original and unique. If you can't show audiences what makes Bioshock so incredible in the first place, what's the point in making a movie?

Look, movies tend to gloss over the whole "Lore" bit, unless they are a series, like Star Wars. There's a reason that Bioshock has way more lore than, say, Gran Torino.
We're going to play a game for about 8-9 hours, and through-out that play-through, learn all of it's intricacies and quirks, while a film is 1 1/2 to 2 hour long. Not nearly enough time to do that. And anyway, i get the feeling that the little sisters were going to just be the "creepy little girls" bit, as opposed to the "poor tortured souls" bit. Maybe it's for the best that this movie isn't getting made. Even if it were going to be an 18.

 

[Stickwell]

This is what we need in the movie world. Directors with visions who have integrity, who aren't afraid to ditch projects when they find out the production company just wants a quick buck.

 

[Diligent]

Frankly, this is one of the big draws of the video game medium for me: The ability to tell an adult story and still have the awe inspiring visuals, and intense action of a summer blockbuster. If there is no money to be made in big budget R rated movie productions, so be it. Along with everybody else here who played (and enjoyed) Bioshock, I got the experience I wanted out of it without a movie tie-in.

 

[Arkley]

Look, movies tend to gloss over the whole "Lore" bit, unless they are a series, like Star Wars. There's a reason that Bioshock has way more lore than, say, Gran Torino.
We're going to play a game for about 8-9 hours, and through-out that play-through, learn all of it's intricacies and quirks, while a film is 1 1/2 to 2 hour long. Not nearly enough time to do that. And anyway, i get the feeling that the little sisters were going to just be the "creepy little girls" bit, as opposed to the "poor tortured souls" bit. Maybe it's for the best that this movie isn't getting made. Even if it were going to be an 18.

The lore behind the Little Sisters and Adam is integral to the universe. It also isn't so complicated that it couldn't be explained by any half-decent writer within a movie of 90~120 mins. Hell, that wouldn't be a problem at all, I can think of two ways to go about it right now. But including it compels an R/18+.

Leaving it out robs the movie of what makes Bioshock Bioshock, thereby making a movie about Bioshock pointless in the first place.

There is literally no way that a movie could retain anything even close to resembling the horrors of Rapture without incurring an R/18+. This is simply not arguable - it is fact. I've explained why, and I can tell by your writing alone that you're not an idiot, I know you understand this. I think you're just too stubborn to back down and/or admit that you hadn't considered the above points when you made your first post.

In any case, this discussion ought to end before it becomes an argument. I don't want any moderator intervention and I'm sure you don't either.

 

[KaosuHamoni]

In any case, this discussion ought to end before it becomes an argument. I don't want any moderator intervention and I'm sure you don't either.

That's a good idea. And btw, you put up a pretty good argument. =]

 

[Trogdor1138]

I don't really see the point in making a Bioshock film since the game is already there and can't really be improved on by adapting it. But I can certainly see how it has the potential to be a great film. It will never be made though, hollywood execs are too fussy about their ratings and money to take a gamble on doing it.

 

[OldAccount]

Good on Verbinski. I'd rather have nothing then a crappy PG-13 cash in that doesn't respect the source material. In a few years there'll be someone holding the money who played the game and understands what it needs to be. Then Bioshock will get the film it deserves.

 

[johnman]

I don't really see the point in making a Bioshock film since the game is already there and can't really be improved on by adapting it. But I can certainly see how it has the potential to be a great film. It will never be made though, hollywood execs are too fussy about their ratings and money to take a gamble on doing it.

Well yes they are, would you invest 10 million in somthing only to have it flop at the box office and you only get 5 million back on it?

 

[johnman]

I don't really see the point in making a Bioshock film since the game is already there and can't really be improved on by adapting it. But I can certainly see how it has the potential to be a great film. It will never be made though, hollywood execs are too fussy about their ratings and money to take a gamble on doing it.

Well yes they are, would you invest 10 million in somthing only to have it flop at the box office and you only get 5 million back on it?

 

[guntotingtomcat]

I like it when big directors make stands like this! Good for him!

And FUCK the PG-13 rating!! It is killing the industry's artistic credibility!!!

 

[Fuhjem]

After reading this, Gore Verbinsky has become one of my favorite directors.

 

[Atmos Duality]

The people who control the money always stifle the creativity of all mediums.

How much do you think the movie would cost to make if done properly?

Now honestly, how much do you think the movie would make in ticket sales? Do you really think the movie could gross enough to make the required investment worth it?

Art requires sacrifice.
Businessmen are not interested in art; just profits.

It's that simple.

 

[Ghengis John]

The problem with trying to make a Bioshock movie using the games as a basis is that the only character you could use is the city itself, with a couple of generic Big Daddies and Little Sisters. You can't use anyone specifically already used, or else it would ruin the concept.

Well you're not giving much credit to the writers. Understandably perhaps, but still. For what it's worth it's nice to see Verbinski's dedication is not lacking. Or was not lacking. The trend in this sort of thing is to cut a quick buck and head for the door. That said:

Good.

The less films of games, the better (and vice versa).

Some games have good enough plots that they deserve the recognition of the masses, (To say nothing of the longevity film offers) but there are some people who will never pick up a controller and stubbornly refuse to do so. I don't know if Verbinski was the man to do it, but the proper treatment of a game's plot might do a lot to convince some people of a game's potential as art. The whole time I was playing Bioshock I was reminded in some way of Dark City. Dark City just happens to be one of Roger Ebert's All-Time favorite films.

I'm not a huge fan of Verbinski's work but his vision for BioShock certainly sounds preferable to the likely alternative: a CGI-heavy mid-budget flick with a heroic lead and a happy ending.

Asides from being mid-budget haven't you essentially just described Bioshock on a "good" playthrough? I mean that ending was pretty happy and let's face it it made the most thematic and narrative sense. Both through the perspective of the game as a rebuttal to Ayn Rand and in response to the character's own tribulations and Fontaine's remarks. So in short, what would be wrong with a happy ending? Did you go for the nukes or are we just envisioning different things?

 

[Cowabungaa]

Good.

The less films of games, the better (and vice versa).

That is until they can prove they can do it. And they've already proven that the other way around works.

I mean, BioShock's universe provides a fuckton of extremely interesting and thought-provoking movie material. It doesn't have to follow the actual game itself, just use stuff from it's universe. I myself would love to see a movie depicting the rise and fall of Rapture. Fontaine and Ryan's rivalry, the civil war, everything that leads up to the first game.

Anyway, I'm still happy this movie apparently isn't going to be made like this. I'd rather not see a movie at all than another failed, watered down production. Kudo's for mister Verbinski to sticking to his guns and shame on the film industry.

 

[Harmondale2]

I hope it dosn't get made, bioshock wouldn't work the same as a film anyway, and odds are it would have been crap anyway