Verbinski Says a 'Hard R' BioShock Movie is Still in the Works« FirstShowing.net

Wait, wait, wait - theBioShockmovie will be hard R?! Yep, that's what they're hoping for. We didn't catch this when it first hit, but I thought it was good news anyway.IGNtalked with filmmakerGore Verbinskilast week (at thesame event forRangowe attended) and got a quick update on the status of theBioShockmovie, but more importantly he spoke about how it"has to be R, a hard R."A video game movie that's hard R? I don't think Universal willevermake this movie (they already canceled Verbinski's original version due to budget constraints) especially after the mediocre performance of the video game moviePrince of Persia.

It wasannounced last AugustthatPirateshelmerGore Verbinskiwould no longer be directingBioShock, only producing. Instead,28 Weeks LaterdirectorJuan Carlos Fresnadillolanded the job, but then put the project on the backburner to directIntrudersinstead. As for whetherPrince of Persiawill have any impact on it, Verbinski thinks it won't."No, I think BioShock's a rare one because it's actually a great story."I agree, but I don't think Universal will recognize that, they'll be more concerned about whyPrince of Persiafailed than how this could be a big success, if don't correctly. As for its status, here's what Verbinski said:

"We're working trying to make it. The problem with BioShock was:R-rated movie, underwater, horror. It's a really expensive R-rated movie,"he explained."So we're trying to figure out a way working with {director} Juan Carlos {Fresnadillo} to get the budget down and still keep so it's true to thecore audience, you know? The thing is it has to be R, a hard R."

The more I hear from Verbinski, the more I've grown to like him, he knows what to do with this video game adaptation and I'mat leastglad he's still producing, because maybe that means we'll eventually get the hard RBioShockmovie I know we all wewantto see."We don't want to dumb it down,we don't want to make it PG-13. We want to keep itreally edgy, and it's a huge bill,"Verbinski insisted. Hearing that is music to my ears. Let's hope the project doesn't get even more cut down like that by Universal. And you know what, I'm fine with waiting a few more years if that's what it will take to get this made the way Verbinski wants it.

Since it might be delayed for a while, is there a chance they could eventually lose Fresnadillo as the director? Probably not."We're really down the road with Juan Carlos and right now it's really a budget thing and how to keep theintegrityand keep it a Hollywood movie because it could balloon. It's a lot. Our first budget was extraordinarily high and we're working on it."So there you go. Stay tuned for more updates onBioShock. For now it sounds like there's not much we'll hear about it until after Fresnadillo finishes shootingIntruders.

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