Bioshock Pre-Production Halted Due to Budget Fears

As reported earlier this month, director Gore Verbinski passed on making more Pirates of the Caribbean films for Disney in exchange for adaption the Take-Two Interactive videogame, Bioshock.

That plan now seems to be off, as Variety reports that Universal has stopped pre-production on Bioshock, and has let some of the film’s production staff go, due to money. Originally, the film version of the acclaimed and best-selling videogame had a reported budget of $160 million, and was due to film in Los Angeles, but now, Verbinski and Universal are looking for less costly ways to film. One consideration on the table already is moving the production to London to take advantage of a tax credit.

Verbinski told the trade that he is committed to making the film, and all parties have vowed that Bioshock will not become another Halo - a massively popular videogame whose anticipated film version was killed over budget fears.