As anticipation for GTA 6 continues to build toward its November 2026 release, a former Rockstar Games developer believes the studio’s next blockbuster will carry forward key innovations from Red Dead Redemption 2. Meanwhile, Hollywood star Jack Black is publicly campaigning for a Red Dead film adaptation — though Rockstar appears to have little interest in making that dream a reality.
Rob Carr, a former audio designer who worked on both GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, shared his thoughts on the Kiwi Talkz podcast, stating he would be “shocked” if GTA 6 doesn’t pull inspiration from its western predecessor. Carr pointed to Rockstar’s established pattern of transplanting successful mechanics between franchises, noting how GTA 5 adapted Red Dead Redemption’s Dead Eye system into character-specific abilities — Michael’s bullet time, Franklin’s precision driving, and Trevor’s rage mode. He expects GTA 6 to continue that tradition, though he stopped short of specifying which RDR2 features might make the jump.
GTA 6 has faced a bumpy road to release, slipping from its original fall 2025 window to May 2026 before settling on a November 19 launch date. Despite the delays, expectations remain sky-high, with analysts projecting an industry-shaking 40 million copies sold within the first year. Rockstar is reportedly planning to kick off its marketing campaign this summer, which should finally give fans a clearer picture of what the game has in store.
On the film front, Jack Black made his case for a Red Dead movie adaptation in a recent interview with Polygon, calling it a “shame” that such a cinematic game series hasn’t made it to the big screen. The actor, who has been beating this drum since at least 2024, even issued a direct plea to Rockstar founders Dan and Sam Houser, volunteering himself for a role. However, Black acknowledged that the Housers have expressed “zero interest” in adapting their games into films.
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has offered some insight into why a Rockstar movie remains unlikely. While the publisher has the financial resources to fund such a project, Zelnick noted the company lacks the institutional expertise to produce films. He also highlighted the risky economics of video game adaptations, pointing to the 2024 Borderlands film — which featured Black himself — as a cautionary tale of critical and commercial failure. Although Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. franchise has proven that game-to-film adaptations can succeed spectacularly, Zelnick suggested those hits are the exception rather than the rule.
For now, Rockstar appears firmly focused on what it does best: making games. With GTA 6 poised to be one of the most significant entertainment launches in years and Red Dead Redemption 2’s DNA likely woven into its fabric, the studio seems content to let its interactive experiences speak for themselves — no matter how loudly Jack Black may be calling.