The Grand Theft Auto series is one of the most popular franchises in entertainment history, launching a franchise based around simple driving mechanics that has evolved into a cinematic crime saga of action gaming. Every title in the series features a colorful cast of anti-heroes and misfits, and the fifth entry remains one of the most popular due to the memorable characters and explosive plot, among several other reasons.
Not every video game movie has been a success, but GTA 5 has all of the elements needed to be an action-packed, darkly funny crime drama with a great cast to back it up.
Trevor Phillips - David Harbour
Trevor quickly became a fan-favorite for being a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any second while also being offensively hilarious. A paranoid, substance-abusing criminal who lives in a filthy trailer, he is all too ready to create chaos everywhere he goes. He makes every interaction between himself and other characters a game of chance.
David Harbour has become a beloved character actor over the past few years, as the hot-headed but lovable Jim Hopper in Stranger Things and the title character in which is perhaps the best part of 2019's Hellboy. He has comedic timing, a loud powerful voice, and also physically resembles Trevor with his hair and eyes. Harbour would dive into the character and go all out.
Michael De Santa - Adam Sandler
Michael De Santa is a career criminal living in luxury in Los Santos. A flawed father who misses his old life, he gets tangled up with old and new acquaintances before returning to a life of crime. He has a keen attention to detail when it comes to robberies, but can't seem to connect with his family.
Adam Sandler may be a questionable choice for this role, but the actor has several decade's worths of comedic talent to land the bumbling father aspects of the character, as well as the anger and spite that Michael has underneath. Fans of Sandler know he can nail drama and intensity when needed, with Punch Drunk Love and Uncut Gems being the perfect examples, especially his blistering performance in the latter.
Franklin Clinton - Michael B. Jordan
Essentially the main character with the most moral values and heart, Franklin is the youngest member of the crew and puts up with the chaos that Trevor and Michael cause. He wants in on the jobs, but also wants to remain loyal and straight. He's by far the most likable of the main characters and doesn't truly want to bring harm to anyone not deserving it, but is all too familiar with the dangers of the streets.
A versatile actor who cut his teeth on The Wire, Michael B. Jordan is a prominent talent in movies today, proving his abilities in films like the Creed series and portraying a crowd-pleasing villain in Black Panther. He has the charm and charisma needed to portray Franklin, while also being able to bounce off his co-stars with ease.
Lamar Davis - Tyler The Creator (Tyler Okonma)
LD, as he's called by his pal Franklin, is a car repossessor who works with Franklin at the start of GTA 5, and is always looking for more money, and more opportunities. He eventually gets involved with the main characters and steals cars for the villainous millionaire Devin Weston. Lamar is always running his mouth, throwing out insults and observations to Franklin.
Tyler Okonma, or Tyler The Creator as he is known in the music world, is a musician and sometimes actor who physically resembles Lamar but also could bring his silly yet dimwitted nature to the big screen. Okonma, who is mostly known for small television roles and voice work, could bring the character to life in the best way possible.
Lester Crest - Tim Heidecker
The brains behind the crew, Lester is a computer hacker who worked with Michael and Trevor in the past, and now resides in Los Santos doing dirty work behind his computer monitor. He plays the stock market, organizes assassinations, and plans the heists that occur throughout the story.
With the character, there's room for biting humor and oddball behavior, and Tim Heidecker possesses the ability to effortlessly bring that to the table. He has been portraying over-the-top characters for decades in his various projects with Eric Wareheim, and in roles in Us, Moonbase 8, and The Comedy. His physical resemblance to Lester isn't perfect, but Heidecker is more than comfortable altering his looks and style for a role.
Devin Weston - Michael Fassbender
Devin Weston is the main antagonist in GTA 5, a billionaire who has his hands in almost every available stake, working in the shadows with the government as well as with lower-level criminals. He meets the main crew and immediately uses them for his own gain, getting them in hotter water with every request, and eventually tries to get them all killed.
Fassbender, a highly-praised actor, very much physically resembles Weston, and could easily waltz his way around the other actors as he wraps them around his finger in every scene. His villainous role as Magneto in the X-Men series and his Oscar-nominated role as real-life billionaire Steve Jobs is more than enough proof that Fassbender would portray Weston with the charming yet snakelike tenacity that the role needs.
Steve Haines - Bobby Cannavale
When Michael, Trevor, and Franklin get tangled up with the game's version of the FBI, they are stuck obeying the orders of corrupt agent Steve Haines, a self-absorbed and manipulative opportunist who uses the crew to do his dirty work. He makes Trevor torture an innocent man for information with no remorse and then hosts his own reality TV show with a fake personality.
To bring the character to life in the best way, Cannavale would slide right into the role with ease. With similar roles in shows like Boardwalk Empire, he's perfect at acting like a big shot while also having a dark nature underneath. He has the ability to reel audiences in with his talkative warm nature and then making them hope for his ultimate demise.
Amanda De Santa - Debra Messing
Amanda is a frantic, unhappy woman living in a mansion with her family in Los Santos. Taken from her past life after the family went into hiding, she copes by absorbing her life in fashion, money, and trying to live alternative lifestyles through yoga and meditation. She constantly fights with Michael and their relationship is barely clinging on as he gets involved back into crime.
With Amanda, Debra Messing could lift the role into greater heights, countering Michael in their scenes together and also dealing with their troubled children and the chaos that surrounds their family. Messing grew to prominence in the '90s on Will & Grace and knows her way around dysfunctional comedy. She was also fantastic in 2018's Searching, a dramatic and intense thriller that showcased her suspenseful acting chops.
Wade Hebert - Robert Pattinson
Wade is one of the most comedic yet sad and troubled characters in GTA 5, a drug-addicted Juggalo who hangs out with Trevor in the trailer park they live in. Wade possesses some unknown type of misguidance and wit and follows Trevor around on his violent sprees like a lost puppy dog.
Casting Robert Pattinson, a handsome and engaging actor who has been nailing every role he's been in lately may feel like a waste to put him in such a minor and strange role. However, with oddball roles in films such as Good Time and The Lighthouse, the soon-to-be Batman would be a hilarious and interesting choice for Wade, with Pattinson fully going all-in on the role with the speech patterns and face paint.
Tracey De Santa - Lili Reinhart
Tracey is one of the adult children of Michael and Amanda, who is constantly looking for her moment of fame. She hangs out on yachts with porn producers, and auditions for reality TV show competitions. Her relationship with her family is strained, and Michael is constantly on her back trying to stop her from embarrassing or exposing herself to the wrong people.
In Riverdale, Lili Reinhart portrays the headstrong Betty Cooper, a character who can handle herself in any situation and hold her own. Casting her as Tracey would be a change as she would have a chance to play a vulnerable and troubled character that contains several flaws in her chaotic life.