Curtis James Jackson III, commonly known as 50 Cent, took to Instagram in March 2023 to promote a new project. 50 Cent’s Vice City project appeared to have heavy connections to Grand Theft Auto. As one of the most popular game franchises on the market, fans began speculating about 50 Cent’s involvement in GTA.
The original teaser that 50 Cent posted was all about Vice City, a popular GTA location based on Miami, Florida. Vice City has been the main location of many Grand Theft Auto games and appears in two game titles, GTA: Vice City (2002), and GTA: Vice City Stories (2006). Naturally, this led to fans theorizing what 50 Cent might be doing in collaboration with GTA’s developers, Rockstar Games. Many people jumped to the conclusion that 50 Cent would be the main character in Grand Theft Auto VI. GTA 6 takes place in Vice City, so it’s a logical jump to make.
50 Cent Deleted His Vice City Posts
Unfortunately, getting ahold of 50 Cent’s original Instagram post is next to impossible these days. After posting the Vice City teaser, 50 Cent quickly deleted the post. People jumped to the conclusion that Rockstar forced him to remove the posts. Fans assumed he wasn’t supposed to confirm or deny his involvement in the franchise and got in trouble for it. At this point, GTA players were still convinced that 50 Cent would make an appearance in GTA 6. After all, Rockstar Games has allegedly offered him a role in another game.
According to reports, 50 Cent turned down an offer to play CJ in GTA: San Andreas. Rockstar Games approaching him again with a new opportunity wasn’t surprising. At the time, 50 Cent was a headliner for several games, including 50 Cent: Bulletproof and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. 50 Cent turned down the lead role as CJ because he only wanted to portray himself.
GTA: San Andreas was released in 2004. After nearly 20 years, 50 Cent’s teaser about Vice City led many GTA fans to believe that he reconsidered his stance on appearing in the franchise. The speed with which he deleted his Instagram posts only added fuel to the flames. With so much mystery and controversy surrounding 50 Cent’s post, theories spread like wildfire and many fans jumped to conclusions.
50 Cent Won’t Be In GTA 6
About a week after 50 Cent posted and deleted his Vice City teaser, more information about the project came out. Gamers everywhere were disappointed when they learned the teaser had nothing to do with Grand Theft Auto.
Instead, 50 Cent is working on an unrelated television series called Vice City, which will be a Paramount+ original. Vice City is reportedly the working title of the project, meaning that it might be changed before the official release. Due to the mix-up with GTA, it won’t be surprising if the finished project ends up with a different name. A TV show called Vice City will have a difficult time escaping the comparisons to the infamous game franchise. Many casual watchers might even assume it’s a show based on Grand Theft Auto.
The Paramount+ original has no connections to Rockstar games or the GTA franchise. On March 9, 2023, Deadline reported more details about the project, which is a collaboration between Lionsgate Television, Paramount Television Studios, and G-Unit Film & Television. G-Unit is 50 Cent’s film and television production company. 50 Cent created G-Unit in 2003, moved away from it in 2008 in favor of a different production company, and then reformed it in 2010. G-Unit is the production company behind films and shows like Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005), Fire With Fire (2012), and Power (2014 – 2020).
In the same report, Deadline also discussed the plot of the show. Like GTA’s Vice City, the Paramount+ show also takes place in Miami, Florida, though it takes place in the 1980s. The story follows three men who are dishonorably discharged from the military due to their involvement with the Iran Contra scandal. The three friends join together to form a heist crew to bring in the cash that they are otherwise unable to acquire. The story focuses on their lives as criminals to make a new life for themselves.
The series sounds heavily inspired by Grand Theft Auto, as it deals with similar themes and storylines. GTA often faces criticism for placing the player in the perspective of an often violent protagonist who gets entangled with illegal activity for the sake of high rewards. The games often feature violence, murder, drug usage, crime, prostitution, and much more that constantly paint a target on Rockstar games. Despite the similarities between Paramount+’s Vice City and GTA, however, there is no actual link between them.
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