Big-screen adaptations of popular video games have one of the most popular trends in Hollywood over the recent past. With the massive success of films like The Super Mario Bros, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and the blockbuster series The Last Of Us, video games have clearly been perfect choices for cinematic viewing.
Expectedly, it was only a matter of time before Grand Theft Auto (GTA), one of the biggest and most popular video game franchises, was considered to be made into a film adaptation with none other than rapper Eminem as the first choice for the lead role. The film which took inspiration from the success of Angelina Jolie’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, unfortunately did not materialize.
Angelina Jolie’s Adventure Thriller Almost Created A GTA Film
It is hard to imagine any avid gamer not having tried his or her hand at Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Published by Rockstar Games, the series involves action- packed missions in which a player who is armed with a wide range of weapons, has an open world to explore and interact with. While the game has also been criticized for these reasons, its addictive nature with players ensured that it became one of the most lucrative means of entertainment as well.
With the popular trend of video games being successfully adapted into films, the next obvious step was for GTA to get its own space in the big screen. In 2001, a big screen adaptation was pitched by Kirk Ewing, the brain behind Rockstar Games’ State of Emergency, to the owners of the franchise, Sam and Dan Houser. The film was touted to have Eminem in the lead role, with Top Gun filmmaker Tony Scott directing the project.
According to sources, the commercial success of another video game adaptation namely Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie, served as a source of inspiration for the producers. In a turn of events though, the Houser brothers declined the offer as they were of the opinion that the market for video games at the time was much more promising financially. Therefore, they ultimately decided to concentrate their efforts on making more successful games, rather than create one for the big screen.
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Movies That GTA Has Taken Inspiration From
Despite criticisms regarding its themes, GTA has been hugely successful and addictive with fans across the world. In this video game series, the player is the king who can control criminals through thrilling action-packed sequences, with an array of weapons at his or her disposal. Over the years, the franchise has also taken inspiration from many films to create the plotlines.
In one bank heist mission titled Three Leaf Clover in GTA 4, a daring robbery mirrored a scene from the 1995 film Heat, starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino. Similarly, another mission titled The Puerto Rican Connection, is clearly create an ode to the 1972 film The French Connection directed by William Friedkin, in which the makers recreate a scene where the protagonist is chasing down a train. These references to popular films have added even more hype to the game series over the years.
GTA 6 is currently planned for release in 2025 on Xbox Series X and S, and PlayStation 5
Also Read: The GTA 6 Trailer has just Dropped Early and it Looks INCREDIBLE
Source: ComicBook.com
