I thought I was handling my hype for Grand Theft Auto VI pretty well. That was until Rockstar Games released a new trailer, alongside a slew of new screenshots and details, and now it’s pretty much all I can think about.
Unfortunately, GTA 6 is currently more than a year away from release. I’m thrilled we finally have a firm launch date, but right now, May 26, 2026, feels very far away.
As there are only so many times I can rewatch the two available trailers to quell my ever-increasing anticipation, I’ve turned to the world of cinema to satisfy my desire for all things GTA 6.
I’ve found a handful of movies that fit the vibe of GTA 6, and in one case has been cited as an inspiration for the game’s story of loved-up criminals.
So, if you also can’t wait to play the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series, here are 5 movies you can watch now that will help pass the time, at least for a little bit.
‘Scarface’ (1983)
“Scarface” is the quintessential Miami-set crime movie, and with GTA 6 taking us back to Vice City (the franchise’s satirical take on The 305), now is the perfect time to (re)watch it.
This Al Pacino epic is often cited as one of the greatest mob movies ever. It was even a direct inspiration for 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which remains a favorite among the franchise’s passionate fanbase.
In “Scarface,” Pacino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who arrives in Miami with plans to be somebody. Getting involved in the sunny city’s murky underbelly, he rises to power through ruthless means, snuffing out any threats to his ascendancy.
However, being on top also makes you a target, and as criminal rivals, cartels and the cops circle, Tony might be the architect of his own destruction.
Buy or rent on Amazon and Apple now
‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967)
You don’t have to search very far to find somebody drawing parallels between GTA 6 and “Bonnie and Clyde.”
The game packs two playable protagonists, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, and much like Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, they’re a couple who spend their date nights committing bank robberies rather than browsing stalls at farmers’ markets.
A hugely influential and still celebrated biographical crime flick, “Bonnie and Clyde” is inspired by the real outlaws of the same name. It stars Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as the eponymous pair who go on a wild crime spree across Great Depression era America.
Eventually, outrunning the law takes a toll on their relationship, and things end in tragic circumstances. Let’s hope Jason and Lucia's romantic partnership doesn’t meet the same tragic fate.
Buy or rent on Amazon and Apple now
‘Bad Boys’ (1995)
Admit it, just the mention of “Bad Boys” in this list and you’re already humming the iconic theme tune to yourself. This long-running action-comedy franchise exploded into theaters in 1995 and continues to this day with the third sequel, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” released just last year.
The series has focused more on the comedy in recent entries, but the very first movie is a little more straightlaced. The first “Bad Boys” is also directed by Michael Bay, so if you’re craving the type of virtual mayhem only possible in a GTA game, you’ll find a close approximation here.
The series stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as lifelong best friends and partners in the Miami Police Department's narcotics division. They spring into action when $100m worth of heroin is stolen from a supposedly secure police lockup. What follows is plenty of implausible action, which will surely appeal to any GTA fan.
Buy or rent on Amazon or Apple now
‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ (2024)
The GTA games have always been praised for their cinematic quality, but “Grand Theft Hamlet” takes that idea to a new level. This documentary is set entirely within the world of Grand Theft Auto Online.
Yup, every single moment of the movie takes place within Rockstar’s virtual playground, and it’s just as ludicrous as it sounds. But this is much more than a gimmick movie. It explores how art can unite and inspire even during tough times.
Set during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many countries enacted strict quarantine restrictions, it follows two Brits who attempt to stage a live production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet within GTA 5’s open-world Los Santos.
It’s a ridiculous idea on paper, but the mission gives both men a new purpose. As they face hurdles both in-game and in their personal lives, staging Hamlet in GTA becomes an all-consuming mission.
Watch on Mubi now
‘Pain & Gain’ (2013)
Michael Bay clearly has a thing for action-crime movies set in Miami because he returned to the Sunshine State for 2013’s “Pain & Gain.”
While I have my problems with the flick's tone, I had to include it because the shot in the new GTA 6 trailer, where we see a character flexing their muscles in a beachside gym, instantly made me think of this movie.
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, it’s based on a true story (though it plays fast and loose with the facts), “Pain & Gain” sees a group of gym-obsessed meatheads in 1990s Miami hatch a plan to get rich by abducting a rich businessman (Tony Shalhoub) and extort him for all his wealth. However, when this harebrained money-making scheme goes awry, things get pretty painful for all parties involved.
Watch on Paramount Plus now
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