Fri May 9, 2:49 PM ET
The film is set to be the highest profile adaptation of a videogame since 2005, when Fox paid Microsoft five million dollars for rights to make "Halo," a project now scrapped, Variety reported.
"Bioshock" is set in a futuristic underwater city called Rapture which has spiralled into anarchy.
"I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that's cleverly unveiled to players is just brimming with cinematic potential," Verbinski said. "Of all the games I've played, this is one that I felt has a really strong narrative."
The report said a number of producers and studios had approached the publishers of "Bioshock," Take Two, since its release in August.
However the company had waited until the game won a clutch of industry awards before agreeing a deal with Universal.
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