28 Weeks Later helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is in talks to direct.

Bioshock screenshot

Variety reports that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who made his Hollywood breakthrough with 28 Weeks Later, is in talks with Universal Pictures to replace Gore Verbinski as the director on the BioShock motion picture.

Gore Verbinski stepped down from the role of director, but remains the film's producer through his Blind Wink production company.

BioShock had been expected to begin production last spring, but Universal halted the project during pre-production when its budget rose to $160 million - the studio needed the film to cost less.

It's now up to Take-Two, which maintains director approval, to give the final thumbs-up on Fresnadillo.