Zelnick's still lukewarm on a GTA movie or show, and honestly I get it

So Insider Gaming picked up on Strauss Zelnick talking about whether GTA could ever become a movie or a TV show. Short version: he's cautious about it. Take-Two isn't rushing to hand the brand to Hollywood, and he explained why adapting their games is a tricky proposition for the company.

I've been hearing this question since the PS2 days, and the answer has basically never changed. Every few years someone asks the CEO about a GTA film and every few years we get the polite version of "probably not."

why the hesitation makes sense

Think about what a GTA adaptation would actually have to do. The games work because you're the one driving, shooting, and causing chaos. Strip that out and you've got a crime story in a Florida-ish setting, and there are about nine hundred of those already. The interactivity is the product. A two-hour film can't replicate the thing people actually show up for.

There's also the money angle. GTA 6 is out in a week, November 19, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Why would Take-Two risk diluting the biggest entertainment launch of the decade with a tie-in that could flop? A bad movie doesn't hurt a bad game franchise much, but it can absolutely dent a pristine one.

Zelnick's whole thing has always been protecting the IP first and cashing in second. That's not a bad instinct when your IP is worth more than most studios.

would you even want it

Genuine question for the thread. If Rockstar announced a big-budget Vice City series on HBO tomorrow, would you be hyped or nervous? I lean nervous. The track record for game adaptations has gotten better lately, sure, but GTA is a different beast. Half the charm is the satire and the radio stations and the dumb stuff that happens when you're bored at 2am. That doesn't translate to a scripted show.

Also, we've technically already had a GTA-adjacent vibe in TV and film for years. Everyone borrows from it. The games are the definitive version of that world, and I'd rather they stay that way.

What would a GTA show even be about? Jason and Lucia? A new crew? Some anthology thing set in Leonida? I can't picture a version that doesn't feel like a downgrade.

Anyway, curious where everyone lands on this. Would you actually watch a GTA movie or show, or is this one of those things that should stay a game forever?

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Source: Insider Gaming · Curated content.