To see or not to see? That is the question, after MUBI announced plans to release a bonkers-sounding version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: an immersive, “unexpectedly moving” take shot entirely within Grand Theft Auto.
The film, which is currently rated 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, was shot during the COVID-19 lockdowns and will be coming to cinemas and streaming later this year. Billed as a feature-documentary, it follows out-of-work actors Sam and Mark as they spend their days playing GTA Online.
While cruising around one day, the pair’s avatars stumble across a theater and they’re suddenly struck with the idea of staging a play inside the game. There’s an obvious snag, though; most people in the game seem to be more concerned with murderous destruction than appreciating the arts. That said, weren’t theaters supposedly rowdy, dangerous places back in Shakespeare’s time? Hamlet is a tale of violent revenge after all…
“It’s ground-breaking and necessary – especially at a time when more and more of our lives (even a cultural artefact as ancient as live theatre) move online. The documentary asks what is this space? How do we use it now and what else is possible inside it? Can we transport this ancient story inside a brand new one? And will it still make sense?” the official website ponders.
Having premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival, where it picked up the jury award for Best Documentary Feature, Grand Theft Hamlet went on to be shown at Melbourne International Film Festival and HotDocs 2024. It’s geared up to screen at London Film Festival and Cambridge Film Festival in the coming weeks.
For more, check out our roundup of the upcoming movies being released throughout the rest of 2024 and beyond.
