Last year, the film-industry press was abuzz with the false starts and (eventual) indefinite suspension of the film adaptation of Halo. Now, according to Hollywood trade Variety, another top-tier game franchise, Grand Theft Auto, was itself being quietly readied for the big screen at the same time--until the whole project unraveled.

A Monday post on Variety's newly established Cut Scene game blog outlined how, after many years of resistance, Rockstar Games warmed to the idea of a GTA film. Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive apparently was in advanced negotiations with an unnamed movie studio--so advanced, in fact, that Variety already had prewritten stories ready and rapper Eminem was being approached for the lead.

However, like the Halo film, eventually the GTA movie deal "fell apart...at the last minute." Variety was unclear about what the fatal sticking point was, but said that it was possible the project could be revived at a later date.

Continuing:

Rockstar deny Eminem GTA film rumours
Variety report dismissed by publisher
February 6th, 2008

Rumors emanating from movie mag Variety yesterday, suggested that last summer a major movie deal for a Grand Theft Auto flick was very nearly a done deal - with Eminem even mooted for the lead role. That was until Rockstar got cold feet, and the agreement with a "major studio" collapsed.

Today, however, Rockstar deny any rumors to this effect, assuring us that they are "not interested" in delivering GTA to the silver screen.

Rockstar founder Dan Houser says that a deal was never as close as Variety's report implies, and that his firm were never overly tempted by the lure of a GTA film.

"Some movie producers were trying to put something together to entice us to make a movie, as studios and production teams frequently have done in the past," the executive revealed to MTV.

"This proposal was no more interesting than the numerous others we receive. We never entertained proceeding with the project."

He affirmed that the publisher were never close to an agreement, nor indeed are they presently planning a film of some description. Grand Theft Auto IV will be released on April 29th worldwide.