The Fallout series has proven once again that fascinating video game adaptations can be created with the right approach. If Netflix’s upcoming Bioshock movie wants to be the next big hit, it should learn from the success story of Amazon Prime’s Fallout.
How the Bioshock show can learn from Amazon Prime’s Fallout
6. Respect the fans, but make the film accessible to all viewers.
Video game franchises have a loyal fan base with high expectations. While they are the primary audience, Fallout’s success comes from its appeal to all fans of quality television. Never in a million years would I have imagined watching Fallout with my wife. He had never heard of the games, but thoroughly enjoyed the show because of the easily understandable plot and excellent actors. That being said, fan service is essential, so having game references and easter eggs that don’t bother the “casuals” is a perfect combination.
5. The production value must be top-notch.
If Netflix wants to create a memorable TV movie, the live-action Bioshock needs to look incredible to win over viewers. Fallout and Bioshock have many similarities, as they are both inspired by the 1950s and closed communities (one in a vault and the other underground).
The Amazon series showed that it is possible to create fantastic costumes, believable sets and special effects without spending a lot of money. Bioshock should do the same with the live-action versions of Big Daddy, Little Sisters, the effects of Plasmids, and the tragic fall of the underwater society Rapture.
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4. Find the perfect dose of darkness
Amazon Prime’s Fallout opted for comic book-like violence that entertains but also advances the story. This would be a difficult task for Bioshock, as the source material has no qualms about embracing darkness. While Bioshock is brutal and often disturbing, how it is presented will be key to the project’s success. Horror elements and action sequences will work only if they serve the story.
3. Focus on multiple characters
The Fallout series featured a fantastic original character that matched those in the games perfectly. When done well, newcomers and fans alike will applaud it. The Bioshock story has many characters that I would love to see in live action. Not counting the main protagonist, Jack, the film cannot leave out Frank Fontaine (a definitive villain), Brigid Tenenbaum (a scientist tormented by guilt) and Atlas (with a twist that I don’t want to reveal to you).
Having an ensemble cast worked wonders for Fallout, and the Bioshock series should do the same; There are so many interesting characters that fans would like to see. It’s a perfect opportunity for the filmmakers to combine the present with flashbacks to Rapture in its heyday.
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2.Make the characters believable and morally complex.
Fallout had a great opportunity to learn from The Last of Us series, which depicted morally complex characters with the full spectrum of human emotions. Now it’s time for Bioshock to continue this winning streak by presenting the tragic story of Big Daddy, just as we are introduced to the Ghoul in Fallout. I would like to learn more about Jack and Atlas’ relationship while also understanding the perspective of all parties. We need charismatic actors to show us the tragedy of Rapture and its citizens, connecting us with them.
1. World building is crucial to the success of the film.
The success of the Fallout series has a lot to do with its fantastic world-building. Inspired by Mad Max, Wasteland is a character in itself. The post-apocalyptic world is perfectly reflected in photographs, background characters, animals (Brahmins), billboards and much more; Almost every shot has some detail that is a nod to the game and its specific atmosphere.
The Bioshock universe has the potential to become a character of its own with its particular architecture and fine details like Plasmid commercials and audio logs. I want to learn more about the “perfect” Rapture and its ruined form through masterful storytelling. If filmmakers follow Fallout’s successful recipe for video game adaptation, the Bioshock series will repeat Fallout’s success.
For more stories about Fallout’s success, check out how Todd Howard’s Napoleon painting was used in the TV show here on MyFullGames.