The BBC is working on a documentary-drama about the creation of the billion-dollar selling Grand Theft Auto series, and to show they mean business, they’re about to cast Bill Paxton in it.
Bill Paxton, of course, is a well regarded actor who should be recognizable to anyone who has seen any of James Cameron’s movies, such as Aliens, True Lies, The Terminator, and Titanic.
Jack Thompson, the man Paxton is currently in talks to play as in the film, should also be recognizable to anyone who plays videogames as one of the medium’s greatest enemies. A relentless lawyer who aggressively tried to have violent videogames like Grand Theft Auto, Manhunt, Mortal Kombat and Bully barred from public consumption, he was eventually disbarred in 2008 for what was cited as “cumulative misconduct, a repeated pattern of behavior relentlessly forced upon numerous unconnected individuals, a total lack of remorse or even slight acknowledgment of inappropriate conduct, and continued behavior consistent with the previous public reprimand.”
Assuming that he is cast in the film, Paxton will join Daniel Radcliffe, who is set to portray Sam Houser, the co-founder and president of Rockstar Games.
Speaking about Jack Thompson, Paxton said:
He got Howard Stern kicked off the radio and took on 2 Live Crew. There’d be a gag order and he’d still go on talk shows. He would write these hateful letters to people he was litigating. He just got too emotionally caught up in it.
The film, titled Grand Theft Auto, is being directed by Owen Harris and is written by James Wood. It is scheduled to begin filming this coming April 20.