Netflix’s adaptation of the popular video game “Bioshock” is still in development but with significant changes. During a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, producer Roy Lee announced that the film, directed by Francis Lawrence, is being reworked to focus on a more intimate narrative and a reduced budget.
Project Background
Originally announced in February 2022, the “Bioshock” film is a collaboration between Netflix, 2K, and Take-Two Interactive. The first game, released in 2007, is set in the underwater city of Rapture, envisioned as a utopia but descended into chaos. The game’s rich narrative and philosophical depth have made it a beloved title, spawning sequels and selling over 39 million copies globally.
Changes in Netflix’s Strategy
Since the project’s announcement, Netflix has undergone a strategic shift. Dan Lin, who replaced Scott Stuber as the head of Netflix’s film division, has moved the company towards more modest film budgets, diverging from Stuber’s approach to large-scale productions.
“The new regime has lowered the budgets,” Lee explained. “So we’re doing a much smaller version. It’s going to be a more personal point of view, as opposed to a grander, big project.”
Production and Compensation Model
Despite the budget cuts, Francis Lawrence remains attached as the director. Lee also mentioned that Netflix has revamped its compensation model to align more with traditional box office bonuses based on viewership metrics, encouraging producers to create content that attracts larger audiences.
“They’re changing it to be a metric similar to box office bonuses,” Lee said. “It’s a chart: It’s this amount of viewers, you get this amount of compensation in terms of increased back end. It motivates the producers to do a movie that gets a bigger audience.”
