Eminem Very Nearly Starred in a Grand Theft Auto Movie

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There was a time when a Grand Theft Auto movie was being bandied around and, had it been approved, it would have starred Eminem. As perhaps the most recognizable video game franchise in the world, Rockstar's flagship open-world series has become a staple of the industry, drawing in just as much media controversy as dedicated fans. As such, the idea of a screen adaptation has been on a lot of people's lips for years now, though one has yet to come to fruition.

During the late 90s and early 2000s, the award-winning rapper was at the height of his fame. While it's his music that's given him the most notoriety, Eminem also starred in the 2002 film 8 Mile, a semi-autobiographical account that tells the story of a rapper from an working class background trying to make it in the music business. To date, it's been the only movie Eminem has starred in, but that hasn't stopped people from suggesting he take on other roles.

As reported by the BBC, an insider has said there was some interest in a Grand Theft Auto film, which would have starred Eminem. Kirk Ewing, game designer and personal friend of Rockstar co-founders Sam and Dan Houser, spoke on the Bugzy Malone's Grandest Game podcast about the possibility of an adaptation. He says Hollywood offered $5 million to close a deal on the movie, with the producers saying they'd managed to get Eminem to join the production. After Ewing relayed this information to Sam, the GTA co-creator declined the offer, saying he was "not interested." This was back at the turn of the new millennium after the third installment of the series had come out and when Eminem was flying high with his album Marshall Mathers LP.

With the Grand Theft Auto series about to celebrate 25 years and the iconic open-world games still selling by the millions to this day, many may still be curious whether a movie could ever see the light of day. However, according to the interview with Ewing, the Houser brothers were confident that their games back then were already a huge media franchise, and given that the games are even more successful these days, it's unlikely there will ever be an adaptation for the silver screen.

That's a bit of a shame, but at least fans can look forward to Grand Theft Auto 6. Though it's not known when the next game will drop, anticipation has only increased as the years have gone by. Given that GTA 5 released in 2013, it's been almost a decade since a new installment launched, and it's fair to say the gaming industry and surrounding fan base are more than ready for something new.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is in development.