Rockstar is filming in Miami, and it smells like a live-action trailer

GTA 6 cars with Leonida plates, a camera car in front, a drone overhead and police closing off the street: this week Miami looked like a film set, and fans are convinced Rockstar is shooting a live-action trailer or ad. Rockstar hasn't said a word. Here's what was spotted, where, what's certain and what's theory, and when we might find out.

What was spotted in Miami?

A convoy of supercars and classics that look like they drove straight out of the game, rolling in single file down a street closed to traffic. Up front is a black car with a big camera mounted on an arm, and above them, a drone filming from the air. That's how Notebookcheck describes it, placing the scene next to Bayside Marketplace, the waterfront shopping center in downtown Miami.

Locals and onlookers posted the videos on X on Monday the 19th and Tuesday the 20th of October. One of the most shared was filmed from the bridge to the Port of Miami:

spooky gab 👻@FairlyGab

otro video desde el puente hacia el puerto de Miami

IGN puts it bluntly: fans have spotted camera crews filming convoys of GTA 6 cars, and that's sparked the theory of an "elaborate and expensive" live-action trailer.

Which cars are they?

These aren't random cars with a sticker slapped on. They've been modified to look like specific models from the game, with the series' made-up brands on the bodywork:

• An orange Emerus, the McLaren parody named after GTA's Progen Emerus, with its huge rear wing.
• An '80s Grotti supercar, Rockstar's Ferrari, painted in a very Vice City blue-to-pink fade.
• An Albany Manana, the classic convertible that mimics a Cadillac Eldorado, according to Notebookcheck.

And all of them on fake plates: in the photos you can read "VCE CTY" on a Leonida plate, GTA 6's state, with the slogan "Goodtime State". In one of them, the convoy is escorted by a Miami police cruiser with its lights on, a sign the shoot had a permit.

The best close-ups come from Sam, who caught the convoy parked by the marina and out on the street, with the Emerus, the Grotti and even the Leonida plate just a few feet away:

real.saem | Samchrme@samchrme

Got pictures and several videos of the GTA 6 cars driving around Miami! Absolutely insane! 🔥

Is Rockstar shooting a live-action trailer?

That's what a big chunk of the community believes, but Rockstar has neither confirmed nor denied it. IGN notes that the studio hasn't commented at all on its Miami campaign: it's letting it speak for itself. Notebookcheck also makes clear it's not even known whether Rockstar is behind the production.

There are other, equally reasonable explanations: a TV ad, short clips for social media or simply footage for the campaign itself. A camera and a drone don't tell you what format the end result will take.

Why does it make sense?

Because Rockstar has spent weeks turning Miami into Vice City, and this fits as one more piece. We've already seen game cars on the street, a blimp and planes towing banners, and the Miami Heat will play "A Night in Vice City" the night before launch. Even the game's beers are going on sale for real.

The cars aren't entirely new either: they already showed up in Key Biscayne on October 15, and back then fans talked about a promo shoot. The difference now is the full film crew, with a closed street and a police escort. That no longer looks like a photo op.

When will we know?

Nobody knows. There are less than four weeks to go until November 19 and Rockstar has already released the launch trailer, so whatever it's filming, if it's for GTA 6, has to come out before or right at launch. A live-action trailer would be a rarity for the series, which has always sold its games with footage from its own engine. That's why the theory has so much pull.

In the meantime, if you're in Miami, you know the drill: if you see an orange Emerus with Leonida plates, look for the camera.