Actor and comedian Jack Black is in disbelief that someone has yet to craft film adaptations for Rockstar Games' iconic franchises, most notably Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption.
In an interview with Total Film to discuss his role as Claptrap in Eli Roth's upcoming film based on the Borderlands franchise, the outlet asked Black what games he would like to see adapted for the big screen. Black explained how he was shocked no one has yet to make a film adaptation of any of Rockstar Games IPs before explicitly calling out Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption.
"I can't believe they haven't already started making a movie of any of the Rockstar Games – Grand Theft Auto, but especially Red Dead Redemption," Black explained. "Those things are already like movies, you know? I guess that's the thing. Some video games are already halfway there to telling those kind of stories, and there are some movies that are like video games."
Black's incredulity is unsurprising, as many fans of the publisher likely share that sentiment. Over the last 25 years, Rockstar has played an influential role in changing the landscape of the gaming industry, particularly action-adventure games set in an open world. While Rockstar has a robust portfolio of games, including Max Payne, Midnight Club, and Bully, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption are undoubtedly the most famous IPs out of the Rockstar Games banner.
Especially Grand Theft Auto, which has multiple sequels and spinoffs; its most recent entry, GTA 5, is arguably the most successful as it produced a lucrative online model, made over $8.5 billion in revenue (the first $1 billion was accrued in the first three days of its initial release in 2013) and has sold over 195 million units. Though the sequel, GTA 6, is not due until sometime next year, anticipation for it is high, with the first trailer becoming the most-viewed video game reveal on YouTube within 24 hours.
Despite Grand Theft Auto's success, Rockstar appears uninterested in adapting the franchise into a movie. In 2019, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick explained to TheWrap why making the film was unlikely, stating that the Rockstar Games parent company would want to have "complete control" to ensure the film is expressed the way it envisions. In 2022, Rockstar Games co-founder Sam Houser disclosed in an interview with the BBC Radio 5 Live podcast that he rejected a pitch for a GTA movie that would have starred rapper Eminem. And, as mentioned before, the GTA games are so profitable for the company that Zelnick said late last year during an investor call that it was not worth pursuing another medium for the IP.
While movies based on video game franchises have mostly left much to be desired, in recent years, video game fans have been treated with several successful Hollywood adaptations. A few notable examples include Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog and Illumination's Super Mario Bros. Movie. The former released a sequel in 2022 and currently has a third film due later this year, while the latter was one of the highest-grossing movies last year, surpassing $1 billion at the global box office with a sequel currently in development with a release window set for April 2026.
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Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
