The Grand Theft Auto series of video games, with their intricate plotlines, expansive worlds and ultra-violent content, would seem to be a perfect candidates to be adapted into a feature film or better yet a TV series. If Grand Theft Auto did ever make its way to TV screens, who would be better qualified to bring the series to fruition than Vince Gilligan and the team that created the critically-acclaimed Breaking Bad?
The idea of a Grand Theft Auto series from the creative team behind Breaking Bad probably sounds too good to be true. And as a matter-of-fact it is too good to be true. But for a few seconds, thanks to IGN, you can live out your fantasy of what AMC’s Grand Theft Auto might be like.
IndieWire shares this fantasy trailer from IGN giving us a glimpse of Grand Theft Auto from the team that brought you Breaking Bad. It’s just an April Fool’s Day joke of course, but even so, it’s a well-executed and tantalizing one. For extra authenticity, the clip features voice-over from Steven Ogg, who played Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V and also happens to have appeared on Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul.
The trailer does a good job capturing the hard-core spirit of the games, which are stuffed full of crime tropes culled from movies and TV. One image which will have particular impact with GTA fans is the sight of the Vinewood sign, the game’s take on the famous Hollywood sign. There’s even a straight-down Gods-eye-view shot of a chase that pays homage to the original Grand Theft Auto PC game from 1997. And what GTA trailer would be complete without someone taking out a helicopter with an RPG?
Though the trailer zeroes in on images from the GTA games, there’s one shot that has Breaking Bad written all over it: A long, slow zoom from above down to a guy washed up on a beach in his underwear. That could almost be Walter White himself lying face-down in the sand. Bryan Cranston might be a good candidate to star in a GTA show, but these other actors would be great as well.
A whole lot of work was put into this joke trailer, so much work that it transcends its purpose as an April Fool’s gag and actually makes a strong case for Grand Theft Auto getting the adaptation treatment. Of course, you could argue that GTA is already so steeped in crime movie history, that making a movie or series out of GTA would just be redundant. As of now, the closest it seems we’re going to get to a real GTA film is the odd fan-created short film or the movie The Gamechangers about the game’s designer Sam Houser starring Daniel Radcliffe.
Source: IGN (via IndieWire)
