Two actors have decided to make a large-scale production of Hamlet entirely in Grand Theft Auto V – Grand Theft Hamlet

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” Everyone knows this famous quote from Shakespeare, even if you have never read or seen a performance or film version of Hamlet, but perhaps younger people around the world will be more familiar with the historical work of literature in the future, as a few actors have decided to fully adapt and perform Hamlet in Grand Theft Auto V.

Known as Grand Theft Hamlet, the project was developed, created and directed by Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, with Mark Oosterveen serving as associate writer and director. It is a film that surprisingly has already received many rave reviews and enough attention and support that it has even been given a theatrical window, which begins today, Dec. 6.

The film’s description adds: “Why not stage Hamlet in the play? Well, there are several reasons why not, mainly that most people in the play are out for murderous destruction, not polite appreciation of a theatrical production. But wasn’t theater in Shakespeare’s time just such a dangerous and noisy business, and isn’t Hamlet, a play about revenge, the perfect choice for this place?”

It also mentions how GTA V has been used as a creative medium, noting: “The cinematic potential of Los Santos is immediately apparent, with its shimmering, stunningly detailed cityscape and surrounding countryside, ray-traced rendering of light, ever-changing weather systems and intricate sound design. By using the in-game phone camera, we were able to create intimate close-ups and cinematic pans across landscapes – allowing a more cinematic visual language and moments of pathos, emotion and lyricism to exist in the chaos and violence of this undiscovered land.”

You can see a trailer for Grand Theft Hamlet below and even in select cinemas starting today.