Grand Theft Hamlet


Grand Theft Hamlet is a 2024 British documentary film directed by Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls. The film is about the staging of a production of Hamlet in the video game Grand Theft Auto Online during one of the UK's COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2021.

Premise

The documentary follows Sam Crane and Mark Oosterveen as they attempt to cast and produce a live virtual production of William Shakespeare's play Hamlet in the video game Grand Theft Auto Online while staying home due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic in [the United Kingdom]. The film is shot entirely within the video game as a Machinima production and the subjects are all depicted by their in-game avatars.

Release

The film premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Award for best documentary feature. The film was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 6 December 2024 by Tull Stories, with Mubi releasing the film theatrically in the United States on 17 January 2025 and globally on its streaming service on 21 February 2025.

Reception

of RogerEbert.com gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, "More than just a shaggy dog story, Grand Theft Hamlet is a pointed, entertaining and moving examination of interdisciplinary conductivity at its most surprising."

Accolades