Numerous video games have made the jump to film over the years, but one of the biggest of all the franchises has yet to do so – “Grand Theft Auto”. It came close though.
Kirk Ewing recently appeared on the BBC Sounds podcast (via Coming Soon) as he and host explained the history of the game franchise.
Ewing, who was working as an agent in Hollywood in the early 2000s, then revealed that shortly after “Grand Theft Auto III” was released, talk of a movie adaptation emerged.
“This was just after 3 [released], and I think at that point it was still in [Sam Houser, co-founder and president of Rockstar Games]’s mind that it might be something that they wanted to do.”
Ewing then revealed he had received calls from a producer who offered to make a film starring Eminem and directed by Tony Scott, with Rockstar set to receive $5 million for the film.
Upon talking with Houser, Ewing said the Rockstar Games President shut down the idea:
“At that point, they withdrew from any conversation about making a film when they realized the media franchise they had was bigger than any movie that was going on at the time.”
Houser’s instinct proved right with the franchise going on to become the biggest gaming franchise in the world and “Grand Theft Auto V” considered the most profitable piece of entertainment created across any medium.
