So, a couple of weeks ago, Gore Verbinski says that he's going to concentrate on directing the movie version of Bioshock. This means that he's dropping Pirates of the Caribbean. Seems like a good idea - leave an old property behind, move into the upcoming 'thing'!

Only it now appears that Universal Pictures probably didn't let Gore into a secret. Says Hollywood trade mag, Variety, "Universal Pictures has put the brakes on “Bioshock,” the Gore Verbinski-directed live-action adaptation of the bestselling Take-Two Interactive vidgame.

"The picture was in pre-production, but the studio has halted that effort - and let some production staff go - as Universal and Verbinski figure out a way to make the film on a less costly budget."

Apparently Gore was asked to take the picture out of the USA in order to benefit from tax cuts. The movie is not dead, however, it is "on hold" says Gore.

Variety polishes off its report with "All parties vow that Bioshock will not become another Halo the would-be live-action adaptation of the Microsoft game that was cancelled when U and Fox got cold feet over budget fears."

Whoops...

By Joe Chagan