Verbinski to Direct Bioshock Movie
Friday, May 9th, 2008 - 6:02am
Several sites are reporting that Gore Verbinski will be directing the Bioshock film adaptation. This does not fill me with glee. Personally, I'd like to see the Coen brothers or, perhaps, Chris Nolan direct it.
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so." - Douglas Adams
Hmm. I don't know how I feel about this. On the one hand, Verbinski is extremely good visually, and he was even able to take a movie based on a theme park ride seriously and make it a hit, so maybe video games aren't too far off for him. But I'm not sure how well BioShock will work as a movie, even on the long odds that it's a good movie. So much of what made that game great was specific to its medium - the world was amazing because it was the kind of place you just wanted to poke around in, looking for clues to some past life. Movies, which need to focus on the people and the plot, may not convey that well even if the filmmakers are smart enough to get it.
This was one of my big problems with the Silent Hill movie - they replicated the world perfectly, yet that setting in the medium of film conveyed none of the underlying themes that it conveyed in the medium of video games.
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Verbinski is good visually, but I don't know what kind of dramatic depth he can muster. The one thing that made the pirates movie really workwas actor dependant...the whole keith richards/gay pirate angle was I think Johnny Depp's idea. Verbinski can do whiz bang popcorn stuff, but I would hope the movie would explore some of the morality and objectivism themes the game had. I fear it'll ony be all about blasting big daddies. Oh well... the screen writer they have to do the script has done some good stuff in the past like the Aviator.
Perfect casting would be Daniel Day Lewis as Ryan.
I think in this case the writer and casting is far more important. You could do a LOT worse than John Logan. I have to imagine Ken will be pretty involved.
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"Think of it as 'grinding SO rep in the Kitchen instance.' " - Montalban
To quote the "Ask a Ninja" ninja: "It could use a lot more gore and a lot less verbinski".
There is only an up or down--up to a man's age-old dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order--or down to the ant heap totalitarianism,... those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.
But a bad director can create pretty awful performances from pretty good actors. Sam Jackson and Natalie Portman were just painful to watch in Star Wars:1-3
We'll just have to see how it turns out. .. it could be an awesome flick, they just better keep it R and not PG13.
See, I think that was the writing. I can't imagine anyone making that tripe work. It was just offal.
Better Verbinski than Bowe. If I had my pick, I'd take Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Nolan, or maybe Jack Snider. This is of course assuming Speilberg just isn't interested.
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Very true. I think my pessimism might just be a defense mechanism for not getting my hopes up since I REALLY enjoyed Bioshock. I do hope they keep some of the music from game, especially the attack of the whacked-out bunny men with 'Waltz of the Flowers' from the Nutcracker Suite. Its one of those unique times when well known music get turned on it its ear. Kind of like 'Stuck in the Middle' and Reservoir Dogs
By far the best use of that sort of juxtaposition was "Kiss to build a dream on" in the opening sequence for Fallout 2.
There is only an up or down--up to a man's age-old dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order--or down to the ant heap totalitarianism,... those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.
I honestly believe this good be a good movie. BioShock has such a great storyline that they can't possibly screw it up so much that the movie will suck.
Hopefully...
So hell did freeze over after all; Welcome to Skjold!
Verbinski is far from a bad director. And even if he can't take credit for Johnny Depp's performance in the Pirates movies, he most definitely can take credit for supporting it and defending it in the face of skepticism from the studio.
The talent that's attached to this film is already an order of magnitude better than that of any other game-to-film adaptation. The Bioshock film has the potential to be the first truly great film in the genre.
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baggachipz: Who cares about Japan, let them have their silly pointless dog games and countless re-hashes of anime-based dragon princess super lucky crapitty crap.
Mind you, his last foray into a previously established science fiction franchise was Star Trek Nemesis.
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I dunno, Silent Hill had pretty good talent attached to it as well, and that didn't turn out too good.
Verbinski isn't Uwe Boll by any stretch of the imagination, and he does have a good visual sense, but that's all he's demonstrated so far. The only movie of his that's been any good is the first pirates movie (although haven't seen Mouse Trap or The Weather Man, mind you), and World's End would have been the worst movie I saw last year, even losing out DOA, if it wasn't for Death Proof. And even then it's a tie.
"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all."
ummm ... The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen?
"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so." - Douglas Adams
Do we have any idea what they'll be doing with the IP? I assumed it would be a prequel.
rabbit wrote:
1Dgaf wrote:
bnpederson wrote:
XBL: E Munnie
You poor, naive soul.
Fedaykin98 wrote:
I liked Weather Man, and I kind of dislike Cage. Mind you, I tend to skew in favor or any film shot in Chicago.
rabbit wrote:
1Dgaf wrote:
bnpederson wrote:
XBL: E Munnie
I thought The Ring was pretty damn well done. And the first Pirates movie is a lot of fun.
I haven't seen Mousehunt, but I hear it's great.
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baggachipz: Who cares about Japan, let them have their silly pointless dog games and countless re-hashes of anime-based dragon princess super lucky crapitty crap.
Wow I didn't know he did The Ring remake. At least we know he can do creepy stuff.
Given how visual Bioshock is, and how much Mise en Scene matters, I think he can do a great job with it. I also think the comment about Depp is right on. Depp's performance - particularly the monologue at the beginning of the last movie - took some guts to just let happen for a movie as formula as it was.
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"Think of it as 'grinding SO rep in the Kitchen instance.' " - Montalban
Oh right, Mousehunt, not Mouse Trap. I thought The Ring ruined a perfectly excellent low-key horror movie by making it as visually overwrought as possible, and having stupid bits with horses and other unecessary boo moments. I did remember thinking some of the shots of the Significant Tree were quite pretty, however.
Anyway, unless they plan to make it about the fall of Rapture as opposed to adapting the events after the plane crash, I don't care much about the outcome of this. I've been to Rapture and unlike Silent Hill, I didn't put up with sub-par gameplay in order to get to a good story. I don't think a movie will have much to add to my Bioshock experience. But we'll see.
"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all."
I hope the movie includes clips from the actual game!
Fedaykin98 wrote:
I'm sorry. I was drunk when I wrote that. I take it back. Of course they can screw it up! It's Hollywood for crying out loud!
What the hell was I thinking...?
So hell did freeze over after all; Welcome to Skjold!
Here's an interview with Gore Verbinski on BioShock. To his credit, he gets the idea, but I'm wondering how he'll translate a game where the protagonist is essentially alone and silent into a feature film.
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"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
I'll echo that sentiment. Didn't like PotC.
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I'll watch it, then make my opinion.
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It's reassuring to know that Ken Levine appears to be a friend of Verbinski and will likely be involved in how the movie is created. Even if he's not directly involved, just knowing he has the ear of the director and writer is a good sign. I'm also happy to see they are aiming for an R-rated film, as I can't imagine the story and content doing anything else. Especially if they go with the same moral dilemas with the Little Sisters and the violence of the splicers and stuff. Of course, the Studios could change all that if they wanted, but I like that the people behind it can't see it as anything but an R move.
I guess I'm in the cynical "hope for the best, expect the worst" camp. This could be the one ("video game" movie) to put the genre on the map and show people they can be good. It took Hollywood a while to get the "comic book" movies right, but they seem to have finally figured it out. Now we just need someone to get the "video game" market on the map. Because Uwe sure isn't helping any.
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Maybe a certain podcast of note can get a joint appearance in a future episode.
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
Oh my god that would be awesome! What would even be more awesome? If I somehow got to act in it. I must figure out a way!
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I hope you're not claustrophobic if they ask you to play a Big Daddy.
"Men like sex, thus boobies! Oogaba!" - dejanzie
"If ads put your sanity to the test
come on down to Rat Boy's nest!
light up a stogie, and soon you'll see
how rock can be commercial-free!
'I'd hit it!'" - HP Lovesauce
So, are they going to make two movies, one where the main guy kills the Little Sisters and one where he doesn't?
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