Academy Award-nominated director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is in talks to helm Universal Pictures' adaptation of the Take-Two Interactive videogame.
- Aug 24, 2009
AceShowbiz - "Bioshock" could be having the helmer of post-apocalyptic horror "28 Weeks Later..." serving behind the lens. With "Pirates of the Caribbean" director Gore Verbinski stepping out of the director seat, Universal Pictures is in need to find his replacer and now is in talks with Academy Award-nominated Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to bring him on board and fill the empty slot.
News of Universal's negotiation with Fresnadillo indicated that the studio is still determined to bring the project to the big screen though it has been put on hold earlier. Back in April, Variety reported that the studio has put on the brakes during the pre-production phase because the budget swells up to $160 million, forcing Universal to take steps to lower the rising cost including filming the movie abroad.
Director Gore Verbinski, who ditched "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" for "Bioshock", opted to exit the videogame adaptation project after Universal made the decision to shoot the movie abroad. Since he is locked to direct Johnny Depp-starring animated film, "Rango", he couldn't commit to an overseas shoot and thus, pulled out his involvement as the film's director, but remains attached as producer.
The big screen version of "Bioshock" follows the story of a plane crash survivor named Jack. Exploring the underwater Objectivist-dystopian city of Rapture and surviving attacks by the mutated beings and mechanical drones that populate it, he discovers that his will is not as free as he'd thought. Universal Pictures expect to release the movie in 2010.
