Grand Theft Auto: 10 Coolest Easter Eggs, Secrets & References Explained
9. The Wanted Level System Was Inspired By The Blues Brothers
There's no denying that the GTA franchise has been hugely indebted to Hollywood ever since its inception, and one of the series' key mechanics was in fact inspired by a memorable sequence from a classic movie.
GTA's wanted level system has existed since the very first game, initially represented by the chattering heads of police officers before it evolved into stars from GTA III onward.
But the entire concept of this ridiculous escalation was inspired by the 1980 comedy classic The Blues Brothers, in which the titular characters find themselves pursued by an increasingly overpowered fleet of cops, SWAT, and the National Guard.
Admittedly in the movie the show of force was a little less justified, given that the chase was simply a result of Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) driving with a suspended license - rather than, you know, massacring hundreds of people.
That's not the only classic movie the original GTA pays homage to, though: the minor gangster character Cabot is also clearly inspired by Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) from Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, not only in name but also slap-headed physical appearance.