Guillermo del Toro has explored both sides of the video-game adaptation equation. The award-winning filmmaker once tried to develop BioShock for the big screen, but says the discussions became some of the worst calls of his career.
In a new interview with IGN, del Toro was asked whether he would consider making another film based on a game. His answer revealed that he had already attempted to bring BioShock to cinema, with the project ending badly.
Why del Toro found game adaptations difficult
Del Toro explained that games and films may share visual language, but their storytelling mechanics are fundamentally different. A film guides viewers through a fixed experience, while a game asks players to explore, solve problems and make decisions within a designed space.
“The dynamics of a video game are very different than a movie,” del Toro said, describing the process of building the illusion of an expansive sandbox while quietly directing players towards particular outcomes.
He compared that flexible structure with filmmaking, where the audience is not assembling the story or solving its obstacles. In his view, adapting a game therefore requires much more than transferring its camera work or visual atmosphere to another medium.
When the conversation turned specifically to BioShock, del Toro said he had taken part in “a couple of calls” with the people involved. He described them as “probably one of the most disastrous calls I’ve ever had” and concluded that he was finished with that kind of project.
The games del Toro enjoys
Although his experience with adaptation was discouraging, del Toro remains an enthusiastic player. He praised Left 4 Dead, Death Stranding and Shadow of the Colossus for prompting him to think about intangible ideas. He also enjoys Dead Cells, despite disliking the repeated deaths and respawns that come with its design.
Del Toro has also spoken warmly about BioShock itself, praising its world as a place where he could become immersed for a very long time. That appreciation makes his failed film discussions particularly notable for fans following the project’s long and uncertain history.
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What is happening with the BioShock film?
The proposed BioShock movie has remained in some form of development since 2010. In 2022, 2K announced that Netflix would make the film. Two years later, producer Roy Lee said the project was still active at Netflix, although its budget had been significantly reduced.
“So we’re doing a much smaller version,” Lee said at Comic-Con in 2024. He described the revised approach as more personal rather than a large-scale production.
That change in scale leaves the film’s eventual shape unclear, particularly for a game known for its distinctive setting and ambitious world-building. For players who want to bring that atmosphere home in a different way, RETROCADE’s arcade machines offer a dedicated gaming setup, while the DIY arcade kits category is aimed at custom cabinet projects.
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