It appears that the iconic trio of Grand Theft Auto 5 protagonists might finally arrive in GTA Online, as suggested by recently datamined information suggesting GTA 5‘s Michael may be coming to the online game. GTA Online already possesses characters like Trevor and Franklin, making the addition of other well-known characters an exciting potential update for fans of the GTA series.
Franklin joined the GTA Online sandbox as part of The Contract update back in 2021. Interestingly, the character’s voice actor – Shawn Fonteno – revealed that he didn’t expect to work with Rockstar ever again after his job as Franklin in GTA 5 was done. In an interview with Screen Rant, Fonteno shared his thoughts on the matter by saying he wasn’t anticipating Franklin’s return after so many years. However, he did admit that he still hoped a character’s return might occur, making Franklin’s eventual addition to GTA Online an exciting addition for the game.
According to GTA Online dataminers, GTA 5’s Michael might also return as a story character in an upcoming update. A post shared by Tez2 on Twitter (via VG247) includes a few discoveries made in the game’s files from PS5 and Xbox Series versions of GTA Online, including what appears to be a new scenario point called “movie_set.” It is located in front of the Record A Studios, and there’s a specifically assigned GTA NPC that can be spotted in the exact same place between 7 AM to 11 AM in-game time. Together with previously discovered movie references from Vespucci Job Remix, it may hint at a possible cinema-related update. Based on this, speculation has started to circulate that Michael might be a crucial part of the upcoming content drop. During The Contract update, it was revealed that the character continued working for Solomon Richards at the producer’s movie studio, conveniently fitting the new update’s theme.
While meeting Michael in GTA Online might be a welcome addition to the game, there are other rumors that could be even more exciting. According to one of the recent leaks, GTA Online might get a Liberty City map expansion this summer. While rumors can build excitement for potential new content, it is worth mentioning that the source for this particular rumor is semi-credible as the leaker responsible for this speculation has both verified and inaccurate past predictions. Despite this, the idea of traveling back to Liberty City is immensely inspiring.
It is definitely possible the upcoming mysterious update for GTA Online might be inspired by GTA 5‘s Los Santos’ cinema business, as the leaks suggest there’re a lot of movie references, though it’s worth remembering that datamined information can still be incorrect, and Michael’s involvement is just speculation based on his own relations with movie production in the game’s lore. However, since the character was specifically referenced in the last year’s GTA Online The Contract update, there could be a good chance he could make an appearance in GTA Online, regardless of whether it happens in the next update or some time in the future.
