BBC to premiere 90 minute Grand Theft Auto drama

BBC are to premiere a new TV drama that will “tell the story of arguably the greatest British coding success story since Bletchley Park – the triumph of the computer game Grand Theft Auto”.

The 90-minute BBC Two drama is a part of BBC’s season of coding-based programmes and activities and will focus on the history of Rockstar North (previously known as DMA Design) and Rockstar Games’ rise to fame.

No further details or broadcast date were revealed.

“This is exactly what the BBC is all about,” said Director General, Tony Hall. “Bringing the industry together on an unprecedented scale and making a difference to millions.

“Just as we did with the BBC Micro in the 1980s, we want to inspire the digital visionaries of the future. Only the BBC can bring partners together to attempt something this ambitious, this important to Britain’s future on the world stage.”

Rockstar latest instalment in the GTA series, GTA V, became the biggest entertainment launch in history upon its launch in September 2013.

The title broke $800 million in sales within 24 hours of going on sale and then 2 days later broke $1 billion in sales, beating Hollywood blockbuster films such as Avatar, The Hobbit, Django Unchained, and Skyfall.

It also outsold its predecessor, GTA IV, beat The Last of Us as the biggest release on PlayStation and broke seven Guinness World Records. It has currently shipped over 33 million copies and has won numerous Game of the Year awards.

But the success has also brought along controversy, something the GTA series is no stranger too, facing criticism for its depiction of women and torture.

It’s also been the recipient of several lawsuits, one from rapper Daz Dillinger, one from a Mobster’s daughter, and another from Lindsay Lohan.

The game recently launched on next-gen consoles and a PC edition is scheduled for release in April.