Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has confirmed that he was involved in early concepts for a film adaptation of the video game BioShock, though the project ultimately failed to materialize due to what he described as a "disastrous" phone call.
Speaking with IGN, del Toro revealed his hesitation to work on video game adaptations again, stating that his past attempts concluded poorly. He previously expressed interest in a BioShock movie, mentioning a past effort with Gore Verbinski that also never got made. However, his direct involvement in a potential adaptation ended abruptly.
"We had a very contentious call about a couple of games," del Toro told IGN when asked about adapting video games into films. "I find that the dynamics of a video game are very different than a movie... So adapting it, Bioshock, we had a couple of calls. They are probably one of the most disastrous calls I've ever had. So no, f*** no."
While del Toro did not elaborate on the specifics of the contentious conversations, the experience left him with a negative impression of the adaptation process. The filmmaker, a known admirer of BioShock, found the experience particularly disappointing. He also noted his daily enjoyment of Angry Birds.
Del Toro's past involvement with video games includes his work on projects like P.T. and Death Stranding. However, he expressed reluctance to create his own games following the unreleased trilogy "Insane," stating, "Never again."
He also praised Hideo Kojima, whom he referred to as a "pure artist," crediting him as the primary creative force behind the majority of P.T. Del Toro's full interview is available on IGN.