Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto video game series is undoubtedly one of the most popular game series of all time. These games often make reference to the real world and it was quite evident in some games or moments where they directly adapted an iconic scene from Hollywood. While the GTA series is well-rated, it is often labeled as controversial but with each installment, Rockstar Games manages to push its boundaries, and the same is expected with their next game, Grand Theft Auto 6.
One mission in GTA 4 was directly inspired by Michael Mann’s 1995 movie, Heat. Throughout the game, the influence of Hollywood can be felt. Apart from this, Scarface also inspired GTA: Vice City, while the name of a mission in the same game is inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 movie The Godfather.
The mission Three Leaf Clover in GTA 4 was inspired by Michael Mann’s 1995 movie, Heat
In the mission Three Leaf Clover in GTA 4, the protagonist Niko Bellic teams up with Patrick McReary, Michael Keane, and Derrick McReary in order to rob the Chinatown Bank of Liberty Branch on Columbus Ave in The Exchange, Algonquin. Armed and wearing balaclavas, the group steals $1 million. With LCPD and NOOSE on their tail, they make their escape and Bellic gets his share.
This action-packed mission is loved by many fans but not many people know that this mission, particularly the weapons and outfits, was inspired by director Michael Mann’s 1995 movie, Heat. The film, starring legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, featured a similar heist. It was certainly exciting to see Rockstar Games referencing one of the most iconic crime films of all time in their video game. Apart from this, the mission The Puerto Rican Connection in GTA 4 is also a reference to director William Friedkin’s 1972 movie The French Connection.
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Scarface and The Godfather also inspired GTA: Vice City
2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City played a key role in popularising the franchise among gamers worldwide. It’s quite evident that the game was inspired by 1983’s Scarface. The film heavily influenced the game from the protagonist to the story. In fact, the final mission of the game, Keep Your Friends Close, is directly inspired by one of the most iconic moments in the movie as the protagonist Tommy Vercetti kills Sonny Forelli from the top of a staircase. The name of this mission is picked up directly from Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 movie The Godfather.
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As per FarOut Magazine, another one of William Friedkin’s movies inspired the GTA franchise: To Live and Die In L.A. The movie, featuring William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, and John Pankow, tells the story of two Secret Service agents who go on a mission to catch a counterfeiter.
