Rockstar Games Turned Down Eminem Grand Theft Auto Movie – Report

Rockstar Games, the creators of the popular video game series Grand Theft Auto, once reportedly turned down an opportunity to make a GTA movie with Eminem in the starring role.

The revelation was made by video game industry veteran Kirk Ewing on Bugzy Malone’s Grandest Game podcast on Monday (Nov. 14), according to Eurogamer. During the episode, which discussed the early years of the video game, Kirk, a friend of Rockstar co-founders Sam and Dan Houser, revealed there were talks about making a film with Shady at the helm circa 2001.

“This was just after three [released],” Ewing said, “And I think at that point it was still in Sam’s mind that it might be something that they wanted to do.”

Ewing revealed an unnamed L.A. producer offered $5 million for the rights to the movie starring Eminem, with Top Gun director Tony Scott set to shoot film. Ewing said the creators eventually shut down the idea.

“At that point,” Ewing continued, “they withdrew from any conversation about making a film when they realized the media franchise they had was bigger than any movie that was going on at the time.”

What if? XXL has reached out to Eminem’s team for comment.

This would have been around the same time Eminem was working on his film 8 Mile, which was released in November of 2002. He’d also had a small role in the 2001 film The Wash. In 2006, he was slated to star in the remake of the 1960s TV western Have Gun, Will Travel, but the film never materialized.

See 7 Movie Roles That Rappers Turned Down