6 things Netflix’s upcoming Bioshock movie can learn from Amazon Prime’s Fallout

The Fallout series has once again proved 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 must learn from Amazon Prime's Fallout success story.

How the Bioshock show can learn from Amazon Prime's Fallout

6. Respect the fans, but make the movie accessible for all viewers

Video game franchises have a loyal fanbase with high expectations. While they are the core audience, Fallout's success comes from its appeal to all fans of quality television. I would never in a million years envision watching Fallout with my wife. She had never heard of the games but thoroughly enjoyed the show because of the easily understandable plot and great actors. Having said that, fan service is essential, so having game references and easter eggs that don't bother "casuals" is a perfect combination.

5. Production value must be top-notch

If Netflix wants to create a memorable TV film, live-action Bioshock must look awesome to win over viewers. Fallout and Bioshock have many similarities, as both are inspired by the 1950s and closed communities (one in a vault, the other below the ground).

Amazon's series showed that great costumes, believable sets, and special effects are possible without breaking the bank. Bioshock should do the same with the live-action versions of Big Daddy, Little Sisters, Plasmids effects, and the tragic downfall of the underwater Rapture society.

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4. Find a perfect dose of darkness

Amazon Prime's Fallout opted for comic book-like violence that entertains but also moves the story forward. This would be a tall order for Bioshock, as the source material is not shy of embracing darkness. While Bioshock is brutal and often unsettling, how it presents itself 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 blended perfectly with the ones from the games. When done well, both newcomers and fans will applaud it. Bioshock lore has plenty of characters I would love to see in live-action. Not counting the main protagonist Jack, the film can't skip on Frank Fontaine (an ultimate bad guy), Brigid Tenenbaum (a scientist wracked with guilt), and Atlas (with a twist I don't want to spoil for you).

Having an ensemble cast worked wonders for Fallout, and the Bioshock series should do the same; there are so many exciting characters fans would like to see. It's a perfect opportunity for filmmakers to combine the present with flashbacks from Rapture at its peak.

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2. Make characters believable and morally complex

Fallout had an excellent opportunity to learn from The Last of Us series, which depicted morally complex characters with the whole spectrum of human emotions. Now it's time for Bioshock to continue this winning streak by introducing Big Daddy's tragic story, just like we're introduced to the Ghoul in Fallout. I would like to learn more about Jack and Atlas' relationship while understanding the perspective of all sides. 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 movie

The Fallout series' success is very much connected to its fantastic world-building. Inspired by Mad Max, the Wasteland is a character of its own. The post-apocalyptic world comes through perfectly in photos, background characters, animals (brahmin), billboards, and much more; almost every shot has some detail that's 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 via masterful storytelling. If filmmakers follow Fallout's successful recipe for video-game adaptation, the Bioshock series will repeat Fallout's success.

For more stories on Fallout's success, check out how the Todd Howard Napoleon painting was used in the TV show here on Pro Game Guides.