GTA 6: Fans Speculate Lucia & Jason Are Based On Ryan Gosling And Eva Mendes

Rejoice, "Grand Theft Auto" fans! After a decade of waiting, Rockstar Games has finally debuted the first trailer for "Grand Theft Auto 6," the long-gestating sixth entry in the popular open-world crime series. Arguably the most anticipated video game of all time, "GTA 6" has been the source of thousands of conspiracy theories and purported leaks. Now that the first look at the Vice City-set game has been released, players have a solid idea of what it will look like. 

The upcoming video game, which is slated to hit consoles in 2025, is set to feature two playable protagonists. This was previously leaked several months ago, with the first look confirming the information. The female protagonist is called Lucia in the trailer, while the male protagonist is called Jason, per the leaks. While it's unclear who is voicing the two "GTA 6" leads, fans think they're inspired by real-life couple Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes. The two previously starred together in the 2012 crime thriller "The Place Beyond the Pines." 

Fans on Reddit, like user u/RayStrifex, have previously suggested that Lucia and Jason are directly inspired by the crime flick's leads. "I recently saw the place beyond the pines and I realized the resemblance of our future characters to the protagonists of the film," they wrote before the trailer's release. Rumors well into the game's production previously suggested that both Gosling and Mendes would be voicing the leads in "GTA 6," though this doesn't appear to be true. Still, both Lucia and Jason seem to bear a striking resemblance to the couple.

As fantastic as it would be to have two A-listers like Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in a blockbuster game like "GTA 6," the lead protagonists Jason and Lucia sound nothing like the two. But the inspiration from their stint in "The Place Beyond the Pines" could be there. In the Derek Cianfrance-directed picture, Gosling plays Luke, a stuntman who enters a life of crime to support his lover, Romina (Mendes). The trailer suggests that "GTA 6" is about Jason and Lucia getting into a life of crime (and romance), though concrete plot details are slim. One thing is certain, however — the two protagonists seem to share the same intimate bond that's seen in "The Place Beyond the Pines." 

While the two lead characters could be inspired by both Gosling and Mendes, some fans think that "GTA 6" is taking cues from another crime picture. Reddit user u/Sk8d3rLucia previously suggested that the game could be taking cues from Edgar Wright's "Baby Driver." In the film, the lead protagonists are played by Ansel Elgort and Lily James, with the former involved in criminal activities to support his family. 

While it remains to be which films influenced "GTA 6," one thing is certain: this sort of hype is unprecedented. In the wake of the trailer's release, many have started to speculate what sort of narrative Lucia and Jason will find themselves in. They're living a criminal lifestyle, with their exploits giving off a Bonnie and Clyde vibe. And while there's only one trailer to go off of, fans are already invested in Lucia and Jason's story. "I hope we don't have to pick which one gets to live or die at the end," wrote Reddit user u/TXNOGG.