Summary
Lawrence Sullivan, also known as the “Florida Joker,” is now claiming he is being harassed following his threats of legal action against Rockstar Games overGrand Theft Auto 6. When the long-awaited initial reveal trailer forGrand Theft Auto 6was released earlier this month, fans quickly drew comparisons between the wild antics of Vice City’s citizens and real-life news stories - including a tattooed criminal being taken to court. This criminal is said to resemble Sullivan, who gained the nickname “Florida Joker” after his mugshot went viral in 2017.
While theGrand Theft Auto 6character in question isn’t an exact match for the Florida Joker, Lawrence Sullivan soon claimed that Rockstar stole his likeness and that he and the developer “needed to talk” not too long after the trailer went live. As the weeks went on, theFlorida Joker would continue to demand money from Rockstar, even going as far as to dye his hair the same color as theGTA 6character to support his point. Meanwhile, commentators likeRed Dead Redemption 2star Roger Clark have pointed out how unlikely it is for Sullivan to win any potential case against Rockstar.
This hasn’t stopped theFlorida Joker from threatening to sue Rockstarover the recentGrand Theft Auto 6trailer. In his latestTikTokvideo, Lawrence Sullivan says that he contacted his lawyer after supposedly giving Rockstar three days to respond to his claims that the developer stole his likeness and life story for its latestGrand Theft Autogame. He goes on to claim that he has been “harassed” since he first went public and that he and his lawyer are giving Rockstar 48 hours before filing legal action against the developer.
The Florida Joker also referred toLindsey Lohan’s similar case against Rockstarregarding a character inGrand Theft Auto 5, which was ultimately dismissed in 2018. Sullivan claims that his complaints are different than Lohan’s and that he actually has “hard evidence” that the tattooed inmate in theGTA 6trailer is based on him. Others have been quick to point out the differences in theGTA 6character’s tattoos, including the word “IMPERTINENT” across his forehead.
Due to both these differences andRockstar’s experience with such legal matters, it’s unlikely that the Florida Joker will win any case against the developer overGrand Theft Auto 6. This isn’t stopping him from continuing his threats of legal action though, and it seems like he and his lawyer will be going forward with a lawsuit in the coming week. In the meantime, fans are eagerly awaitingGrand Theft Auto 6, which is currently set to launch sometime in 2025.
Grand Theft Auto 6
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