Verbinski helming big screen 'BioShock'

Pirates of the Caribbean helmer Gore Verbinski will produce and direct a film version of last year's hit video game BioShock.

John Logan (The Aviator, Sweeney Todd) is in talks to write the screenplay.

Publisher Take-Two signed a lucrative advance deal with studio Universal to hand over the film rights. Take-Two structured a "state of the art" agreement to ensure the BioShock film doesn't suffer the same fate as the aborted Halo project.

In BioShock, gamers control a pilot who crashes into a crumbling underwater utopian city called Rapture.

"I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that's cleverly unveiled to players is just brimming with cinematic potential," Verbinski told Variety. "Of all the games I've played, this is one that I felt has a really strong narrative."

The director, who has been consulting with the game's creative director Ken Levine, hopes to begin pre-production on BioShock once Logan's script is approved.

Verbinski recently signed up to direct an untitled animated movie.