Sorry Grand Theft Auto fans, for those that were hyped by rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson teasing an announcement involving “Vice City” it's now been revealed the artist’s new project has nothing to do with Rockstar, but rather a TV project involving John Wick’s Chad Stahelski and Lionsgate Television.
The two now-deleted posts that got GTA players excited were shared by 50 Cent on his personal Instagram and Twitter accounts, with the first consisting of an image of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’s logo with the franchise's name edited out and the promise that the rapper would later explain what this was all about. These news ramped up speculation that 50 Cent could star in GTA 6, which has been reported by some leakers to be set in Rockstar’s fictional Miami, especially considering the game’s deep ties to pop culture and music.
Nevertheless, in a new Deadline exclusive it’s been revealed that 50 Cent’s new project is not related Grand Theft Auto, except for the name, as his production company G-Unit Film & Television will be partnering with Lionsgate Television and Paramount Television Studios for a new original series called Vice City. The show shares more than just the name with that GTA entry as Vice City will be set in Miami during the 80s following three friends coming back home after being dishonorably discharged from the armed forces, only to pair up with a Colombian immigrant in need of a heist crew for his criminal enterprise.
Overall, the idea of heists and 80s Miami does fit the Vice City name, but GTA fans will surely feel played by Jackson who, at the time of writing, is not believed to be part of the series cast. Vice City will see Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters from Transformers: Rise of the Beasts act as writers and executive producers, with Stahelski bringing all his expertise in the latter capacity.
50 Cent made his film debut at the peak of his powers in Get Rich or Die Tryin', though he’s also gone on to produce and star in the Power series under the same G-Unit label. While 50’s marketing chops cannot be disputed after building up his own Vice City off the GTA name, some will still imagine if it’s too late for Jackson to land a role, or at least some tracks, in GTA 6.
Both Lionsgate and Stahelski’s names have become synonymous with great action, and with John Wick: Chapter 4 receiving so much positive feedback ahead of its premiere, Vice City does have more than a Grand Theft Auto connection going for it.
Source: Deadline