GTA4's Niko inspiration?

[graf1k]

So I was watching a movie I hadn't seen in a long time today when I noticed a some pretty glaring similarities between one of the 'bad dudes' in the movie and the main character of GTA4, Niko. So I took some comparison shots from the GTA4 trailers and an image of the dude from the movie (sorry for the quality, I had to snap pictures of my TV). The movie is Behind Enemy Lines (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159273/) and has you can see there are some striking similarities.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/skyypirate/gta4.png

1. Eastern European: Check!
2. The 'Caesar' haircut: Check!
3. Big ears: Check!
4. Broad nose: Check!
5. Track suit: Check!

I wouldn't be surprised if Rockstar got at least SOME of the inspiration of Niko from this character.

[snafegeeza]

I think your probably right.

[Webb]

Nice find man, pretty much a splitting image if you ask me. R* ALWAYS get their inspiration from awesome sources. Touche.

[MALDUNE]

Good find cant wait for the game and find out the history of the character so it can be fully said where he is from and everyone can stop wondering around and stop guessing!!!

[jorGe62990]

yea thats what i thought when i first saw niko in the first trailer...i like it though, the guy from behind enemy lines is a badass sniper

[Adam Miller]

Sick find, pitting image definately insparation.

Well spotted great find.

[MrRedrum]

:goodpost All I can say is WOW. I would've never come across that at all. The resemblance is uncanny. They had to have gained inspiration for Niko off of that guy. Good job man finding it.

[sln333]

i definitely never would have found that, nice.

[DeW222]

Cheers Graf1k! Way to think outside the box.

[veritas347]

haha they look exactly alike

[Th3 Apache Dog]

thats amazing...awesome find:)

[I ECSTASY I]

Xbox.com confirmed that Niko is Russian

[Webb]

Xbox.com confirmed that Niko is Russian

Lies, all lies!! lol I checked XBox.com and nothing, however I have some evidence to confirm he is European....

http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/grandtheftauto4/news.html?sid=6168906

And also, fan and specialist GTA site...

Source: http://www.gta4.net/overview/index.php

Grand Theft Auto IV follows the story of Niko Bellic, an immigrant from Eastern Europe who was convinced by his cousin, Roman, that he should begin a new life in Liberty City in order to live the "American Dream." But Niko has been lied to, and instead things turn out to be a lot different. According to Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey, a financial consultant for Take2 Interactive, around 150 developers are currently working on GTA 4.

[I ECSTASY I]

Lies, all lies!! lol I checked XBox.com and nothing, however I have some evidence to confirm he is European....

http://uk.gamespot.com/ps3/action/grandtheftauto4/news.html?sid=6168906

And also, fan and specialist GTA site...

Source: http://www.gta4.net/overview/index.php

Give this a quick read

http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/news-features/news/GTA-IV-episodes-only-on-Xbox-360-11072007.htm

GTA IV introduces a new protagonist named Niko Bellic. He’s a Russian immigrant, newly arrived in Liberty City on the invitation of his cousin, Roman.

Odd thing is, I can almost remember reading something where Dan Houser specifically said Niko was not Russian a while back.

[Webb]

Weird, talk about contradicting articles lol

I'm gonna try and find something more concrete so we have a definitive answer :)

EDIT:

Source: http://videogames.yahoo.com/xbox360/grand-theft-auto-iv/preview-520443
Dan Houser - Would show where the confusion has come from. He's been in Europe but says he's having trouble with Russian mobsters. Still not clear though.

From what we know so far, Niko Bellic looks like he has a dark, mysterious past. What more can you tell us about him?

Niko is the hero, or antihero, of Grand Theft Auto IV. He arrives in Liberty City, our reinterpretation of New York, from Eastern Europe to meet up with his cousin Roman. Roman claims to have been living the American dream since his arrival in the US, but he has neglected to tell Niko that he is just struggling and is in debt to some Russian mobsters. At the same time, Niko claims to have left Europe simply for the adventure of America, but he is also looking for someone... and running away from some recent mistakes.

[I ECSTASY I]

We're supposed to be getting new info from Rockstar mid to late July, so hopefully some of it will help us out :)

[Webb]

Lets hope. I presume it will be the new trailer as they said they are releasing 3. Wonder where they will go after that though.

[I ECSTASY I]

Well if Rockstar sticks to their usual GTA pre-release schedual, we'll be seeing another trailer sometime in September. I would love to see a new trailer earlier, though

[Zef]

Okay, this might sound weird (what doesn't) but I think our cheeky little friend makes a cameo in the COD4 trailer. It probably isn't him, but considering the bloke in the COD4 trailer looks about the same, is wearing the same clothes as the guy in Behind Enemy Lines and the game is set in Eastern Europe/whereever, it could be a bizarre cameo.

I shall work on a screenshot if my lightning quick reflexes allow it.

It's a small picture, but it shows the time at which the whole thing happens. He gets closer but he also runs into the shadow, go to the site and see for yourselves:

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/1472/nikoib1.png

Source : http://www.gametrailers.com/player/21257.html

[I ECSTASY I]

I think I know which guy you're talking about in that trailer. Work on getting that screen up on here :)

[Webb]

Wow!!! lolol

Nice spot Zef, it appears Niko is in COD 4 as well :biglaugh

[graf1k]

That motherfucker is everywhere! Awesome spot Zef.

[Adam Miller]

That's quality and that is him as well.:)

[Zef]

Does anyone know if there are any links between Rockstar and Infinity Ward? Both games are big news and they aren't really competing directly, so 'advertising' each others games even if it is subtle could be possible.

Maybe Niko is a character in COD4, and the events of that game are what he 'survives'. Something he mentions in the new GTA trailer to some other bloke.

[I ECSTASY I]

Perhaps someone could do something with this in Photoshop to brighten it up a bit

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w85/ianrichardson/cod4.jpg

[Adam Miller]

Yeh someone who knows how go do that please.:)

Also i cant find any links Zef but it could just be more viral campaigning.

[speedchudy]

I'm from Poland. Poland and Russia are very close (in distance). I can tell you from watching the trailers. Niko is Russian. I have met many Russians, and he fits the image with the accent and the manner. I bet you will find out he is Russian. That is if they every, tell us that.

[Frizzed]

Uncanny, also the guy in CoD4 is Zakhaev's son, I can't find any clear pictures at the minute but if you have played the game you wouldve seen him, he looks nearly identical to Niko

[Strato Streak]

I don't want to stereotype or anything bad, but the usual look for an Eastern European nowadays includes (it seems):

Tracksuit - top and bottom with stripes
Cigarettes - cheap
Small SMG e.g. Uzi or Ingram
The 'Ceasar' haircut as you guys called it :p

They always look the same in films, episodes and recently, games. If Rockstar did get their inspiration from Behind Enemy Lines or sthg similar, I totally want to see it too ! Niko Bellic looks like a cool character, and I'm sure they'll flesh him out a bit more than I have with the sterotype that I've understood above.

Good work on finding the similiarities btw, they do look frighteningly similar.

[Honkymagoo]

There was also a guy who looked exactly like this in Socom 2 and in COD4.

[DFILL450]

the usual look for an Eastern European nowadays includes (it seems):

Tracksuit - top and bottom with stripes

Yeah a kid from Italy moved to my school and he would wear a lot of sweat suits. I don't know if thats a European thing or not :p

Wheres the image though. I remember when I first looked at the thread they looked exactly alike.