ROTTEN TOMATOES: Grand Theft Auto Movie Nearly Happened Last Year Comments

Grand Theft Auto Movie Nearly Happened Last Year

by Jeff Giles | February 06, 2008

Summary

It's been a frequent target for critics of violence in videogames -- and a constant source of profit for its producer, Rockstar Games, since its debut in the late '90s -- but Grand Theft Auto also very nearly became something else last year: A feature film. Back to Article

(1-45 of 45 posts) | Reply

Runawayrunaway! writes:
on Feb 06 2008 05:47 AM

Eminem? Are you ****ing kidding me?

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Elixor writes:
on Feb 06 2008 05:59 AM

Dumb dumb dumb idea. Just dumb.

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dahluzz writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:09 AM

hey, they could've made this exciting. i saw the french flick 'district b-13' recently and director pierre morel would have been great. if he scaled back the parkour, this could be baller.

as for slim shady? granted he played himself in '8 mile,' but i thought he was pretty good. better than getting jason statham or the rock.

karl urban actually kind of looks like the guy from GTA III and he was a hard-hitting, car chasing assassin in 'bourne supremacy.'

i say why not do it. the games are fun, but it's not like they have a prestigeous reputation to live up to with a movie. Plus, the soundtrack would be excellent.

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gerke writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:11 AM

well i almost went to see i am legend. but i didn't so the studios narrowly missed the opportunity to see my dollars.

lets call it even.

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Gimy writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:15 AM

Eminem is still alive? wow.

as a comedy...it might work. but not as a REAL real movie. go with a Total Recall/Matrix kinda thing, where people pay money to be INSIDE this game atmosphere...but the character wonders if its just a game...or real life. he starts off doing the stunts, having fun...then realizes he can't quit the game...then HAS to finish because he really is going to die if he dies in the game. eventually the guy BECOMES the character in the game and when he finally beats the game...he's alive and well...wakes up in REAL life, then starts to portray the character in real life. then eventually gets shot by police...and realizes Life...Is Not A Game. better than having Eminem star. jesus, what is this...1999?

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jasperoosterveld writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:49 AM

What a terrible idea! Jesus.

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jdgrafix writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:58 AM

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gamebox_10/

There is already a movie with that idea.

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JoeloftheJungle writes:
on Feb 06 2008 06:59 AM

I think this would have made an awesome movie, there are so many story lines and characters already set up. Although I guess you'd lose the fun of running over random people and getting into fist fights with hookers

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fullmetalnek writes:
on Feb 06 2008 07:27 AM

Im glad this didnt happen.

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Pengoo writes:
on Feb 06 2008 07:47 AM

If they would've followed the story in the game (which they never would have), it could've been great, but I'm sure it would have degenerated into a overly-serious movie with absolutely no relation to the great atmosphere of the games.

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CMPunk>you writes:
on Feb 06 2008 07:58 AM

Yeah hate on it cause Eminem would've been the star. God forbid. BUST OUT YOUR PICKET SIGNS AND PROTEST!

Now since it's fallen apart, we can see it resurface in a year or so...with Arnold starring and UWE BOLL directing! Whoohoo! Can't wait.

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ClearlyBlind2568 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:14 AM

A movie like that already happend. It's called "Scarface".

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Dark Knight jr. writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:35 AM

Eminem leadin' a role in a GTA movie...?

That's particulatly interestingly... odd.

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deneco4 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:40 AM

wouldve been great. and yes...Eminem would have been a great choice. He would do for grand theft auto what david bowie did for labrynth.

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ipisking writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:46 AM

Can someone please give me a new Snake Movie!!!!!!

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FireflyFan4evr writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:57 AM

It could have been just as bad as Scarface is! But with actual gorey violence this time! Just place the movie in the 80's and you can call it a sequel...

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Raziel66 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:58 AM

This story is innaccurate and should be updated. Another case of jumping on the bandwagon to report non-news. Rockstar has already issued a statement about this rumor:

"Reached for comment by MTV News, Dan Houser, vice president of creative at Rockstar, said no movie was ever in the works. "Not as far as we are concerned," he said via e-mail. "Some movie producers were trying to put something together to entice us to make a movie, as studios and production teams frequently have done in the past. This proposal was no more interesting than the numerous others we receive. We never entertained proceeding with the project."

So no, there was never a movie. Just Hollywood getting ahead of itself to work on a property it does not have the rights to.

(Reply to this)

Oblivioncry writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:03 AM

In reply to this comment (#1557176)
Konami is making a MGS movie...so you get a movie with the main character based on Snake (and little bit Rambo).^^

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:10 AM

NOT EMINEM! the movie would still suck, but still not eminem!

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evilralphwiggum writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:29 AM

if this was set in the 80s with eminem this could've been interesting.
don'tcha think?
it couldn't of been that bad..
or well..
maybe it could've.
eh.
i'm still pissed they are making a Dragonball(z?) movie..
sigh
that's going to blow so hard.

(Reply to this)

duckmanx88 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:45 AM

name one videogame movie that has been good. just one!

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SlyDante writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:51 AM

It's not neccessarily the fact that just having Eminem headline this would be horrible, it's the fact that it's so obviously blatant that he was picked simple so that the producer could appeal to that precious 18-34 demographic.

Besides, with Em in the role I just can't see the whole movie being anything but grim & gritty, without any of the humor that made the games fun as well.

Frankly, why the hell they didn't they just consider Ray Liotta? Come on, the guy was the star of Vice City! He made Tommy Vercetti a gaming legend! Now if the cancelled movie was starring him, THEN I'd cry.

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nathanpoitras writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:52 AM

I was interested until I read the words "eminem" and "star". It's like studios intentionally want to make bad movies sometimes.

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zgberg writes:
on Feb 06 2008 09:57 AM

The problem is...the GTA is a pretty cinematic experience anyway. What's the point of watching the film where you cannot affect the outcome? GTA is great because in essence, you are the star of your own crime drama.

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rt_hire_me writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:14 AM

Was it Pixar? I don't think anyone but the Pixar team would have the subtlety and nuance to pull off a work like this.

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Phobiabuzz writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:27 AM

They need to make Vice City

and put Ray Liotta in it

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sfsilver writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:39 AM

horrible idea. I think the world came thisclose to be subjected to yet another piece of crap video game movie starring an egotistical blow hard rapper. Thank the gods we were spared this cultural apocalypse.

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Raziel66 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:49 AM

Go back and read my post, this movie WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

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dahluzz writes:
on Feb 06 2008 11:28 AM

In reply to this comment (#1557663)
why, because rockstar says it wasn't going to? isn't that exactly what they WOULD say after the deal fell through?

i mean they're not gonna issue a statement saying "yeah we were about to make it into a movie and then got cold feet."

i'm not saying their statement is necessarily untrue, but why would you automatically believe a company that has its own best image and interests in mind?

the point is, we can't know, so stop referencing your own post like its the word of god.

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TitusCosminus writes:
on Feb 06 2008 12:04 PM

Grand theft auto should only be a game!

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lilheclou writes:
on Feb 06 2008 12:20 PM

i always thought gta can make a cool movie if they did it like movie like crash and have placed in liberty city with stotys of crime with all the main game characters in it

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Ratchetcomand writes:
on Feb 06 2008 01:39 PM

Worst Idea ever IMO.

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a_sad_un-sorry_hashbrown writes:
on Feb 06 2008 02:31 PM

I like Eminem and he was great in 8 Mile, but GTA doesn't fit him. You need more of a badass to play the lead in a GTA film. Someone like Chuck Norris.

Now THAT would be the best movie of the decade--no, no, the best movie of ALL TIME! (But still not as good as the Godfather)

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MrDurden writes:
on Feb 06 2008 02:39 PM

Lame. Video Game Movies. Lame

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IAmAnIdiot writes:
on Feb 06 2008 03:08 PM

Good, they really shouldn't make this a movie. Leave the game alone the way it is and keep it that way.

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Shompy writes:
on Feb 06 2008 03:52 PM

for a second i thought that poster was really for a grand theft auto adaption with ron howard and died a little. but really why is this the worst idea ever? its not like they'd ruin a specific story or anything. just take any good crime movie with a car theft and call it grand theft auto. it doesn't matter if its a video game adaption. all we know is...eminem, car thefts. big deal

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Ruckas356 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 04:41 PM

Good idea but not with eminem as the lead. If your going to give anyone a lead role only one person comes to mind.... ray liota(excuse the spelling) who did the original voice over for tommy vicedi(again excuse the spelling) then you have something and eminem can play a badass villian.

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Exode writes:
on Feb 06 2008 05:04 PM

I'd personally enjoy a GTA film with Tommy Vercetti's institutionalized bastard son as the lead character. Insanity would really mesh with Liberty City's over the top satire.

Rockstar did respond to this though and said there was no truth in it whatsoever. They didn't even know about it. They mentioned that production companies pitch deals like these all the time to them but Rockstar always denies them.

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Relapse writes:
on Feb 06 2008 05:15 PM

This a indeed a bad idea. But what if they did an all CGI animated movie? With an interesting art style I think it may be worth watching. Plus I would only have to tolerate Eminem's voice, and not his d*****bag face.

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Dannyman90 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 07:40 PM

Given the track record of video game to movie adaptations, and just the thought of Eminem acting, i have to say that it would suck a fat dick if it were to be made.

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Marineboy writes:
on Feb 06 2008 07:41 PM

Would've been hilarious to see Eminem cycling around like some idle bum - but I'm also convinced it would've have been an atrocious movie.

We have been spared mercifully.

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Ruckas356 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 08:01 PM

Ray Liota should be the lead.

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Superzone writes:
on Feb 07 2008 08:13 AM

Huh, I thought Eminem was dead.. I guess that just shows how little I care about the guy.

But yeah, a GTA movie would just plain suck. I'm barely even a fan of the games, but much less a fan of a possible film. A horrible, awful idea for a movie.

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Joe Utichi writes:
on Feb 07 2008 08:17 AM

A film about a disreputable criminal who wracks up just about every charge under the sun in a quest to become super-rich? Yeah, Hollywood would love to make a movie like that...

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knowingtoast85 writes:
on Feb 07 2008 08:57 PM

Blah blah blah Eminem blah blah blah.

You could get Clive Owen, Christian Bale, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis and every other dick we're sucking and it would still be a ****ty video game movie.

(Reply to this)

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