K4miL Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 With the release of "Grand Theft Auto IV" coming up -- and, let's be honest, my wanting to start this blog off with a bang -- I thought it was worth letting readers know about a major story in the intersection of Hollywood and videogames, arguably the biggest ever, that almost happened last spring. For years, everyone in Hollywood has wanted to get their hands on "Grand Theft Auto." Big name producers and senior execs at major studios all did their best to convince Rockstar to give up the film rights to their franchise. But the brothers Houser were reluctant, and who can blame them? "Grand Theft Auto" is a huge cash cow and has a bigger profile in the young male demo than most TV shows and movies. And God knows there have been a lot of awful videogame-based movies that hurt the property more than they helped. So, even amongst those able to navigate the Rockstar bureaucracy and talk to the right people, the answer was always "no." But last year, something changed. By the spring, a deal was virtually in place with one of the six major studios to start developing a "Grand Theft Auto" movie. Eminem was quite possibly going to star. I can't be sure of the reasons why Rockstar was finally open to a movie deal, though I suspect it had to do with the new management at parent company Take 2. This was soon after the board was ousted following a financial scandal. The new (and current) chairman, Strauss Zelnick, has significant ties to the traditional media industry given his previous posts as CEO of BMG music and president of 20th Century Fox. How close was this deal to happening? Reporters at Variety (and, I have since learned, other publications) were preparing their stories based on conversations with the studio in question. Internally at Take 2, people were talking about it as a done deal. Then at the last minute, it all fell apart. I'm told Take 2 couldn't finalize terms with the studio, though I'm not sure if it was a purely financial issue or if, in the end, the publisher got cold feet about giving away rights to its baby. Who knows if Rockstar will ever be willing to make a movie deal again. But for those who think that in principle the publisher would never be interested, last year's events prove them wrong. Perhaps one day it'll happen. Maybe even before the "Halo" film. Source: The Cut Scene Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayze Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 ya i just read that on Kotaku... i honestly don't think a movie would do this game any kind of justice. the game is like a movie in itself already. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472088 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryuclan Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 ya i just read that on Kotaku... i honestly don't think a movie would do this game any kind of justice. the game is like a movie in itself already. Yeh I agree, I don't know why, but I would love to see Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater though Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472090 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulseczar Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Eminem starring? Thank heavens it didn't work out.. *phew* Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472091 Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkstorm182 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=181518 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472096 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tgimnes Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Eminem would def not fit in a GTA movie. Since we're on the topic, who do YOU think would be the best actor for a movie like this? Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472117 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryuclan Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Jason Statham, I think thats how you spell it... Transporter is HOOOOOT (only the first one) Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472134 Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilrex Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ray Liotta. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472159 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liberty2k7 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Jason Statham, I think thats how you spell it... Transporter is HOOOOOT (only the first one) Haha Jason Statham would be awesome. He was brilliant in Crank, awesome movie. A British protagonist would be mad. They would have to have Samuel L. play as Tenpenny if it was pre-san andreas. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472173 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregatron Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GTA would be nothing but a quick buck for Hollywood. I'm glad this fell flat, esp with Eminem starring. That would have been really lame. I personally don't want to see any crossover like this. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472326 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryGamer Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GTA would be nothing but a quick buck for Hollywood. I'm glad this fell flat, esp with Eminem starring. That would have been really lame. I personally don't want to see any crossover like this. I agree Hollywood will make anything into a movie if the franchise has proved successful. They have made many poor videogame to movie efforts as it is. A Grand Theft Auto film would be pointless really the game's are awesome but a movie of the series no. Metal Gear Solid is being turned into a live action movie again the same thing I think it will probably flop I cannot see it being anywhere near as good or accurate as the videogame series. By the way there has been a Grand Theft Auto movie and it looks crap: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Auto-N...02231435&sr=1-1 Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472385 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_mcgregors Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GTA would be nothing but a quick buck for Hollywood. I'm glad this fell flat, esp with Eminem starring. That would have been really lame. I personally don't want to see any crossover like this. I agree Hollywood will make anything into a movie if the franchise has proved successful. They have made many poor videogame to movie efforts as it is. And next for the chop? Max Payne. Starring Mark "Marky Mark"/"Where's me belt?" Wahlberg Inside, i've just died a little. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472435 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryGamer Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 GTA would be nothing but a quick buck for Hollywood. I'm glad this fell flat, esp with Eminem starring. That would have been really lame. I personally don't want to see any crossover like this. I agree Hollywood will make anything into a movie if the franchise has proved successful. They have made many poor videogame to movie efforts as it is. And next for the chop? Max Payne. Starring Mark "Marky Mark"/"Where's me belt?" Wahlberg Inside, i've just died a little. Unfortunately I can see flop written all over the Max Payne movie and for the record I think the Max Payne games are excellent I really enjoyed them but I feel Hollywood should back off these classic games. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472463 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerem101 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 r u guys crazy Eminem would fit so nice......Come On r u telling me Slim Shady does not have enough controvercy for GTA come on he'll go and steal cars smash them on to police stations and free the prisoners and make a big riot Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472496 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabin8 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 r u guys crazy Eminem would fit so nice......Come On r u telling me Slim Shady does not have enough controvercy for GTA come on he'll go and steal cars smash them on to police stations and free the prisoners and make a big riot Eminem is a piece of sh*t. He would ruin GTA forever and I would have to burn all my copies of GTA if he were ever to be affiliated with the GTA franchise. And no I wouldn't want a GTA movie to be soley based on "ZOmg blow dat sh*t up", I want a smart movie with action complementing the dialog, not vice versa. I don't think I want any major actor to play in GTA, maybe the bad dude from Behind Enem'y Lines (My big fat greek wedding filter rofl). I think they would best do with a lookalike actor from the past gtas. I know when I saw Hitman, I was like wtf this guy looks nothing like 47, and although the movie was ok it would have been a sh*t load better with a lookalike of 47. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472541 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayze Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 r u guys crazy Eminem would fit so nice......Come On r u telling me Slim Shady does not have enough controvercy for GTA come on he'll go and steal cars smash them on to police stations and free the prisoners and make a big riot if that was serious then u def. fail at life Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472567 Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerem101 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 i dont mean as a lead character but i mean as like back up of the lead character on a mission, like lets say Brucie, he might be the crazy one doing all the dirty work Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472673 Share on other sites More sharing options...
doomdiver_16 Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I don't realy see how far they could go with this unless the storyline had something to do with stealing certain cars and that would get old VERY fast... However if it isn't like this I can just see it being a generic run of the mill action movie which doesnt have anything to do with the title. No matter what happens to the movie NOTHING can do justice to the games. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472682 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexo Slim Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 ya i just read that on Kotaku... i honestly don't think a movie would do this game any kind of justice. the game is like a movie in itself already. Agreed. This game is all about FREE ROAM A movie isn't exactly FREE ROAMing is it. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472691 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayze Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 plain and simple this game wouldn't work as a movie because everyone enjoys what u can do outside of the missions/storyline. sure they can make a movie based on the game's plot but that leaves out so much of the fun of the game. and no director/producer/studio is going to allow a movie to have scenes where the main protagonist is just going around causing mayhem in between plot points. at least not in the way we do when we play this game. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472699 Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_jap Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I don't realy see how far they could go with this unless the storyline had something to do with stealing certain cars and that would get old VERY fast... However if it isn't like this I can just see it being a generic run of the mill action movie which doesnt have anything to do with the title. No matter what happens to the movie NOTHING can do justice to the games. Spot on, man. The story-line of all GTAs IS the story-line of a run-of-the-mill action flick, which works well in a game (or series of games): But it never was the story which made GTA great - or MSG for that matter. Nice postmodern litte turn of events: Hugely succesfull game based on pop-culture and action flicks gets picked up by Hollywood and turned into hugely unsuccesfull action flick devoid of all pop-cultural interest...Resident Evil, Tomb Raider (times TWO, unbelievably enough)...Nuff said. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472715 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lt_yao Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 No sh*t? looking forward to it. O shizzles I entered GTA IV board! /Meh slowly backs up from the forums. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472718 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackProject Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Eminem starring? Thank heavens it didn't work out.. *phew* YEAH THATS WHAT I THOUGHT! I think they should not make a film. WHY! Well look what happened to HITMAN. That is one of my best games and i have played every single one since it came out. But now i feel that the PRI*K they used for the movie ruined the game. Does not feel the same. Feels like someone has stamped the game out for GOOD! I would not be a happy bunny if that happened to Grand Theft Auto........Not that! You can have anything else....but not GTA! STAY AWAY HOLLYWOOD. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472791 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixpfah Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 By the way there has been a Grand Theft Auto movie and it looks crap: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Auto-N...02231435&sr=1-1 Haha, I have this movie, and it is pretty crap. I bought it because of the name, not that I thought it had any relations with the GTA games, but still... Wanted to see if there was some kind of resemblance. Can't really say there was too much of that. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472852 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GamerShotgun Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Maybe cus that movie is pretty old. And i agree... If they make a GTA movie, well.. Im going to kill myself. Uwe Boll anyone? Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472869 Share on other sites More sharing options...
willgtavcs Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 ok. they should make it like they did with football factory. how they were the executive producers Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057472886 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter13 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Hey, just wanted to say: did anyone like the Huntley SUV from San Andreas? I really wish for it to continue its reign on the road in GTA IV. Does anyone agree? Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057474380 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jthompson1421 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Did somebody say something about a movie: http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/15...205/story.jhtml Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057474384 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnyboy Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 There's only one good GTA movie, and thats from R* themselves. there was an old GTA movie, but built around a different style. Link to comment https://gtaforums.com/topic/310477-the-grand-theft-auto-movie/#findComment-1057474385 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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