On December 6, Grand Theft Hamlet was released across the UK and Ireland in select theatres, and it’s coming to streaming platforms next year. This zany representation of Shakespeare’s work was planned, performed, and recorded entirely in GTA Online by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, and it’s making a wealth of impressions on critics worldwide.
In recent weeks, the ‘documentary’ has won awards at film festivals everywhere, including SXSW, Vancouver, and Philadelphia, and it scooped a prize and several nominations at the British Independent Film Awards.
Yes, It’s Real
When I say ‘Grand Theft Hamlet’, that’s what I mean. It’s a story showcasing the telling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto Online.
The idea was concocted by Sam Crane during the COVID-induced lockdown in the United Kingdom in 2021, and he roped in Mark Oosterveen to star alongside him. Pinny Grylls was eventually brought in to direct the documentary, which is proving to be a rip-roaring success with critics and viewers.
The recently released theatrical trailer gives you an indication of the origins of the project:
Most of the documentary is spent unveiling the trials and tribulations of the team making their way towards the ultimate performance, which unravels at the end of the 90-minute flick.
The reviews speak for themselves. In Empire, Grand Theft Hamlet was dubbed:
‘…a riotously funny, unexpectedly poignant ode to gaming, Shakespeare, the indestructible nature of art, and the benefits of befriending bazooka wielding extraterrestrials.’
In an interview with The Face, Grylls explained:
I think that it’s also important to think about the fact that GTA Hamlet is not really just a film of the play. It’s a story about this crazy adventure to try and put on this play which seems impossible. It’s a kind of comedy adventure story and it was edited to be really, really entertaining and fun, like the big eighties blockbuster movies Sam and I grew up watching, like Back to the Future.
This isn’t the first time a video game has been used as a platform for a production like this – but it’s certainly the most impactful occurrence.
For instance, the ‘Wasteland Theatre Company’ in Bethesda’s Fallout 76 pieced together and staged a performance of Shakespeare’s works in the post-apocalyptic MMORPG a year or two ago.
Do you intend on watching Grand Theft Hamlet? Let us know what you think on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Hatsune Miku could come to Fortnite in 2025
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