A new drama based on a popular video game is set to launch, starring Daniel Radcliffe.
BBC officially introduced "Game Changer," a project that focuses on the story of the creation of the video game "Grand Theft Auto" and the issues that arose due to its huge success.
IGN reported that Radcliffe will take on the role of Sam Houser, co-creator of "GTA". Bill Paxton will play Jack Thompson, the anti-obscenity campaigning lawyer from Florida.
BBC stated in a press release, "Conceived for an adult audience, this special 90-minute drama tells the story of the controversy surrounding the computer game Grand Theft Auto - arguably the greatest British coding success story since Bletchley Park."
The network further explained: "Grand Theft Auto offers gamers the chance to step into a fantasy world where they can behave like criminals, gun down rival gangsters and cops, hijack cars and venture deeper into an imaginary American underworld.
"But the violent gameplay coupled with its outstanding commercial success leads to fierce opposition: from parents worried about children immersing themselves in such a violent world; from politicians, alarmed at the values they say it encourages; and above all from moral campaigners, who fight passionately to ban it. At the vanguard of this crusade is the formidable campaigning lawyer Jack Thompson, a man determined to do whatever he can to stop the relentless rise of Grand Theft Auto."
The drama is based on the book "Jacked: The Outlaw Story Of Grand Theft Auto", written by David Kushner in 2012, the Independent noted. Rockstar is said to be excluded in the production.
"Game Changer" was scheduled to start filming on April 20 in South Africa and is expected to launch later in the year. It will be directed by Owen Harris while James Wood will serve as scriptwriter.
CNet reported that the first "Grand Theft Auto" game was released in 1997 by DMA Design, a Scotland-based gaming studio. DMA was absorbed by Rockstar and more sequels were created for "GTA". The franchise became a huge success among gamers, particularly "Grand Theft Auto V" in 2013, which sold $1 billion in three days. It became the best-selling entertainment product in history.
Based on the same report by Independent, some developers of the GTA franchise shared their concerns that the film, which will last for 90 minutes, might exaggerate certain points in the plot.
No trailer has been released as of this writing so, meanwhile, here's a video documentary of the history of GTA.
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