PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - PIRATES DIRECTOR VERBINSKI SIGNED FOR BIOSHOCK ADAPTATION

Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski has been signed to adapt hit videogame Bioshock for the screen.

The Xbox 360 game has sold more than two million copies since its August release and won several awards for its exhilarating portrayal of a dystopian underwater city in the mid-20th century.

And while the terms of the contract between game publishers Take Two Interactive and Universal Studios have not been disclosed, it is through the deal could be the biggest for a film adaptation of a videogame since Microsoft earned $5 million (£2.5 million) for the rights to Halo in 2005.

However, Take Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick said the new deal with Universal Studios is a "state of the art" agreement intended to ensure a film is produced, unlike the aborted Halo project.

"The reason I structured it the way I did is to make sure it gets made," he told Variety.

A Halo movie had been developed for more than a year, with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson attached to executive produce and Neil Blomkamp directing before Universal shut down the project over concerns over the film's budget.

Zelnick was also heavily involved in the signing of Verbinski, explaining the importance Take Two attaches to the vision of the game being faithfully reproduced.

However, Verbinski - who directed all three Pirates of the Caribbean films as well as The Ring - explained the creative possibilities of the film attracted him to the project immediately.

"I think the whole utopia-gone-wrong story that's cleverly unveiled to players is just brimming with cinematic potential," he said.

"Of all the games I've played, this is one that I felt has a really strong narrative."

Pre-production is likely to commence once John Logan, screenwriter of The Aviator, has completed a Bioshock script.