Roleplay is nothing new in Grand Theft Auto Online–from cops to furries to professional football players, people like pretending to be other people in Rockstar’s online game. In 2020, two actors out of work during covid tried to put on Shakespeare’s Hamlet in it, and made a documentary about their efforts.
Grand Theft Hamlet, by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, is about the pair attempting to organize and mount a production of Hamlet in GTA Online, and is shot entirely within it. They write that “By using the in-game phone camera we were able to get intimate close ups and cinematic pans across landscapes – enabling a more cinematic visual language and moments of pathos, emotion and lyricism to exist within the chaos and violence of this undiscovered country.”
I’ll admit I take umbrage with the idea that GTA is an “undiscovered country,” even though I get the reference. A Variety review notes that the creators “aren’t experienced players of the game,” and when I first started poking around the documentary’s website, I was expecting the kind of “in a video game?!” vibes we often see from people who aren’t familiar with the cool, creative stuff players have been doing in games for decades.
The full documentary could very well be that, but check out this clip. As Luke said when I showed it to him, “OK no, this is fucking great.”
Things go so perfectly wrong at all the right times, with the Hamlet actors initially seeming out of their depth when faced with regular GTA players, but then they get into the swing of GTA's chaos while still desperately trying to say their lines. The seemingly spur-of-the-moment situation brings a whole new dimension to Hamlet’s opening scene, and I love that they can laugh about it. If the full documentary keeps up this vibe, I’m here for it.
The Hollywood Reporter writes that Mubi has acquired the theater and streaming rights, and Mubi says that Grand Theft Hamlet is “coming soon to US theaters and streaming globally.” The Hollywood Reporter writes that it will show in London next week, with further releases in 2025.
My favorite Hamlet is always going to be the Kenneth Branagh version, even though friends have made persuasive arguments for why it’s not the best one. But I'm excited to see if this one can find a place in my rankings.
