Eminem wanted to star in the GTA movie but Rockstar rejected him.
The show called Bugzy Malone’s Grandest Game, focuses on the world-famous Grand Theft Auto series.
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The British rapper said that the games were a distraction. “last impression on him”because he felt that he could relate with the world and its characters.
Bugzy said: “When I was growing up, Grand Theft Auto allowed me to immerse myself into a high-energy world and allowed me a freedom I didn’t always have on a day to day basis.”
Kirk Ewing, a former game developer, revealed that the idea for a GTA movie was presented to Rockstar at one point.
Sam Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games was initially interested in the idea before anything had been decided.
Ewing said on the show: “Because of the relationship that I had with Rockstar and I had with Sam , I actually tracked him down to his hotel room one night where I knew he was going to be staying.
“The two of us stayed up late and talked about the possibility of making a film, and this was just after [GTA] 3.
“And I think at that point, you know, it was still in Sam’s mind that it might be something that he wanted to do.”
Ewing was offered a GTA-inspired movie by someone later on. It starred Eminem and was directed by Tony Scott (best known for Top Gun).
Ewing continues: “Actually, should I tell this story?
“I remember taking a call about 4am from a producer in Los Angeles with an offer to make a film.
“He said: ‘Kirk, we’ve got Eminem to star, and it’s a Tony Scott film, five million on the nose, are you interested?’
“I phoned up Sam and said ‘Look, listen to this, they want Eminem in the Grand Theft Auto movie and Tony Scott to direct, and he said: ‘Not interested’.”
Houser apparently had his doubts about the idea of making a movie after the success with GTA.
GTA is one the most-loved and best-selling gaming series in the entire world.
Ewing explained: “At that point, they withdrew from any conversation about making a film.
“When they realised that the media franchise that they had, what they had, was bigger than any movie that was going on at the time.”
Georgina Young wrote this for the company GLHF.
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