Daniel Radcliffe, Bill Paxton Star in BBC’s ‘Grand Theft Auto’

Best known for his work in the “Harry Potter” franchise, British actor Daniel Radcliffe will be playing the role of Sam Houser for television next. Houser is the co-creator of “Grand Theft Auto,” one of the most controversial video games in the history of gaming entertainment.

According to reports, the TV special “Grand Theft Auto” (tentative title) will be based on the book “Jacked: The Outlaw Story of Grand Theft Auto,” which was written by David Kushner.

Joining Radcliffe in the 90-minute show, which will broadcast on BBC, is Bill Paxton, who will be playing Jack Thompson, the lawyer who goes after Houser’s game company.

The story will follow the clash between Houser and Thompson, as well as the development of “Grand Theft Auto” into a successful video game series.

Created by Hauser’s Rockstar Games along with his brother Dan, Thompson reportedly went after the game developers of “Grand Theft Auto” for perpetuating racism, glamorizing sex and violence and inciting criminal activities in real life due to the nature of the game.

The one-off TV show will be directed by Owen Harris, who is credited for his work in the sci-fi shows “Misfits” and “Black Mirror.”  James Wood will be penning the script.

First released in 1997, “Grand Theft Auto” has warranted global attention specifically for the reasons Thompson fought for. The Miami-based lawyer filed against the game developers in 2003, seeking at least $246 million against Houser, its publisher and the gaming console Playstation from Sony, after a 16-year old boy, who was reported to have been obsessed with the game, shot his friend. While the case didn’t prosper in court, Thompson persisted in his campaign against violent video games, until his disbarment in 2008.

The TV special will begin shooting next week, according to The Hollywood Reporter.