Hamlet film made in GTA Online coming to US cinemas and global streaming services
UPDATE: UK theatrical release now confirmed.
UPDATE 15/10/24: A UK theatrical release for Grand Theft Hamlet has now been confirmed.
Courtesy of UK distributor Tull Stories, the film will be in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 6th December 2024.
That follows its UK premiere at the London Film Festival later this month, and other film festival appearances at Bath Film Festival (21st October), Cambridge Film Festival (24th & 25th October), and Leeds Film Festival (8th & 9th November).
ORIGINAL STORY 11/10/24: Mubi, an art house streamer and distributor, has acquired the US cinema rights and the global streaming rights for a documentary made entirely in Grand Theft Auto Online, which has a Shakespearean twist.
This documentary is Grand Theft Hamlet, and tells the story of two unemployed actors who went about staging a performance of Shakespeare's tragedy within GTA Online. It was directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy," Hamlet says to Horatio in the play, and while he probably wasn't chatting about video games, I feel this quote still fits here.
Grand Theft Hamlet was recorded during the Covid lockdown, and had its premiere at SXSW - a film and media festival held in America - earlier this year, where it won the Documentary Feature Jury Award. The documentary will be getting its UK premiere during the BFI London Film Festival later this month, however all screenings are sold out.
The full synopsis for the Grand Theft Hamlet, via Deadline, reads:
"January 2021. The UK is in its third lockdown and all entertainment venues remain closed. For theatre actors Sam and Mark, the future looks bleak. As the pandemic drags on, Mark - single and childless - is increasingly socially isolated, while Sam panics about how he is going to support his young family. They spend their days in the online digital world of Grand Theft Auto and when they stumble across a theatre, they suddenly have an idea to stage a full production of Hamlet within the game.
"This film charts their ridiculous, hilarious and moving adventure as they battle violent griefers and discover surprising truths about life, friendship and the enduring power of Shakespeare."
Reviews for Grand Theft Hamlet have praised the documentary. "This is an irreplicable experience that speaks volumes about following your dreams despite the challenges that await," wrote IGN following its SXSW screening.
Variety called the documentary a "captivating staging of Shakespeare" which "changes the game", while Hollywood Reporter said Grand Theft Hamlet was "innovative, highly amusing and often touching".
Grand Theft Hamlet will receive a wider release early next year. Further details will be announced "soon".
As for Rockstar's video game series, GTA 6 is currently scheduled for release next autumn. When it does make its highly-anticipated debut, it will launch across both Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. Rockstar is yet to give a timeframe for a PC release.
For more on the game, here's everything we know about GTA 6 so far.