GTA 6: Why a GTA movie is unlikely to be made before the release of the next game

The GTA franchise, which is arguably the most valuable piece of intellectual property in all of the entertainment industry, has been the subject of much speculation over the past few years. From rumblings of the next GTA game to the possibility of a movie based on the events of Grand Theft Auto V, rumours surrounding the series have been rife.

It is difficult to trace the source of the rumour regarding a GTA V movie as several Twitter threads and message boards across the internet mulled over the prospect.

It is no secret that Rockstar Games harbour a major affinity for cinema as an art form. The GTA franchise hasn't exactly kept its cinematic inspirations on the down-low as the games wore their influences on their sleeves.

However, even the prospect of a GTA movie seems like a bad idea for all parties involved: the fans and Rockstar Games.

Why a GTA movie isn't likely to happen

Since this is starting to blow up... The "source" is this website. Almost all of their articles are baseless rumors. https://t.co/EJbfKrKCkV As @Cade_Onder said, they rarely get anything right, and Strauss Zelnick himself said they have no plans for a GTA movie. Big doubts. https://t.co/TtPeOPaiUk

— Yan2295 (@Yan2295) October 4, 2020

Rockstar Games have tried their hand at film production, with Take-Two Interactive setting up shop with Rockstar Films and producing movies such as The Football Factory. However, both Take-Two and Rockstar have been vocal against being involved in a movie based on videogames.

The major sentiment is that it simply doesn't make sense for one medium to be translated into another as it usually results in a mediocre product. Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar and ex-VP, was quoted as saying:

"Virtually all movies made from games are awful, while many games made from movies are also pretty horrible. This will change, but with an ever more discerning audience, the goals of taking something from film-to-games or game-to-film have to be more than financial..."

He also added that it creatively does not make sense for a videogame like GTA to translate into film:

"If you feel the property has something about it that is universal or could work in another medium, and it is not simply about making easy money, then that is something worthwhile.”

His concerns were also reflected by Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive. He was quoted as saying that there had been no plans at Rockstar for a GTA movie, and it isn't likely to happen.

Thus, the prospect of a GTA-inspired movie are slim at best, with the studio not interested in diluting the value of the IP by putting out a mediocre product.