Insight from Rockstar Games co-founder on why GTA & Red Dead movies were rejected

According to Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser, the company chose not to approve GTA and Red Dead Redemption films.

Despite the abundance of video game adaptations, it may come as a surprise that GTA and Red Dead Redemption, two of the most popular IPs in gaming, have yet to be made into movies.

Despite leaving Rockstar in 2020 and establishing his own company, Absurd Ventures, Houser played a crucial role in the creation of some of the studio’s most successful titles during his time as head writer.

In an interview with The Ankler, Houser revealed that he had been approached about potential film or TV adaptations of GTA or Red Dead by Hollywood executives, but he consistently rejected the offers.

“Following a series of uncomfortable dates, he remembered asking [the executives], “What is the purpose of this?””

Rockstar Games’ co-founder Dan Houser gives a rare interview for the first time since leaving in 2020. He reveals there were “numerous discussions”about making a Red Dead Redemption or GTA movie, but the idea always fell short due to risks and economics. pic.twitter.com/c2C2yDwQPB

— Ben (@videotechuk_) June 27, 2024

Despite the executives’ belief that Rockstar would agree simply because their work could be turned into a movie, the studio’s co-founder expressed concern about relinquishing creative control and allowing others to handle their creations.

“He explained, ‘We would not agree to that because what you have described is essentially you creating a film without our input or consent, and we would be taking a great risk by potentially having to cover the costs for something that rightfully belongs to us.’”

He further commented, “We were expected to be dazzled by the lights, but that was not the reality. Our IP was valued at billions of dollars, yet the financial aspect and the potential risk did not align. At that time, there was a widespread belief that video games could not be successfully adapted into high-quality films.”

Despite the success of highly-rated adaptations such as The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros Movie, Rockstar has not yet approved any film adaptations of their own games.

Their upcoming plans and the direction in which they are pushing the gaming medium may make it unnecessary for them to do so. GTA 6 is expected to “set new standards in entertainment”when it is released in Fall 2025.