With the recent success of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies, and the series “Last of Us” and “Fallout,” video game adaptations are booming. What about the concept in reverse though? Could you shoot a full movie inside of a video game?
Well, the fine folks behind “Grand Theft Hamlet” will soon show us their attempt.
“Grand Theft Hamlet” is a comedic documentary directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane. During the 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns, the two out-of-work actors kept in touch using the video game “Grand Theft Auto V.” Due to boredom or just the love of a good troll, the pair decided to stage a performance of William Shakespeare‘s play “Hamlet” in the game. The movie will document this process, including the initial auditions for in-game actors.
While people staging small skits using their avatars in camera mode is far from unheard of. This is the first time it has ever made it onto the big screen. The strangest part is the movie is already sitting at an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes with early rave reviews.
The film’s trailer shows legendary lines like “To be or not to be,” uttered next to footage of SWAT teams descending from helicopters, and sci-fi fighter jets. So all of the poetic verbiage of The Immortal Bard (albeit with a lot more profanity) is blended with the aesthetics of your standard “Grand Theft Auto” chaos. And that combination apparently works on a level that there is no logical explanation for.
“Grand Theft Hamlet” will hit US theaters on January 17th, 2025. You can check out the unbelievable trailer below:
