Last year, the film-industry press was abuzz with the false starts and (eventual) indefinite suspension of the film adaptation of Halo. Now, according to Hollywood trade Variety, another top-tier game franchise, Grand Theft Auto, was itself being quietly readied for the big screen at the same time--until the whole project unraveled.

　　A Monday post on Variety's newly established Cut Scene game blog claimed that Rockstar parent company Take-Two Interactive apparently was in advanced negotiations with an unnamed movie studio. The talks were so advanced, claims the trade, that Variety already had prewritten stories ready and rapper Eminem was being approached for the lead. However, like the Halo film, the GTA movie deal reportedly "fell apart...at the last minute."

　　[UPDATE] Since its posting on Monday, Variety's story aroused much interest in the game industry. Then, on Tuesday, it also elicited a denial from Rockstar North head Dan Houser, who told MTV News' Stephen Totilo that "Rockstar was not involved in this project in any way, shape or form."

　　"Some movie producers were trying to put something together to entice us to make a movie, as studios and production teams frequently have done in the past," Houser told MTV News. "This proposal was no more interesting than the numerous others we receive. We never entertained proceeding with the project."

　　So will there ever be a GTA movie? Not likely, says Houser. "It is not something we are currently interested in," was his blunt assessment.