Universal Halts Verbinski's 'Bioshock'

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 at a more reasonable budget.Sources said that the picture was gearing up to shoot in Los Angeles, but the budget rose to $160 million. Verbinski are looking at alternatives like shooting in London as a way to pare costs.

Verbinski and sources at the studio say they are determined to make the pic. Indeed, Verbinski (who has also been directing the Paramount animated film "Rango" with Johnny Depp) bowed out of directing a fourth installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" so that he could direct "Bioshock" and produce under his Blind Wink banner. Maybe he should ahs stuck with Pirates 4.