- For the mission, see Mr. Richards.
Solomon Richards is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a supporting character in Grand Theft Auto V.
Background
Solomon Richards is a successful Vinewood film producer and the owner of Richards Majestic Productions since 1978, a film company he inherited from his father, classic Vinewood producer, David Richards. Solomon began his career as an associate producer on his father's movies, though he later began to produce his own and eventually gained fame through the late 70's and early 80's for making commercially successful but artistically mediocre movies, in sharp contrast with his father's critically acclaimed projects.
He had a complicated work relationship with one of his father's lead starlets, Leonora Johnson, because she considered him a hack and refused to complete work on a film Solomon was producing, due to "artistic differences". This great dislike for Leonora eventually made Solomon one of the lead suspects for her murder (which in reality had been committed by Peter Dreyfuss), but he was never charged due to lack of evidence.
By the time the game takes place, Solomon's studio has run into financial difficulty after the economic failure of some of his more recent productions. Tired of the movie business, Solomon seeks to recover his studio's prestige and successfully retire after making one final movie: Meltdown.
Events of GTA V
Solomon is introduced to Michael De Santa by their mutual contact, billionaire holdings investor Devin Weston, who is also a major shareholder in Richards' production company. Michael, a big fan of Solomon's work, agrees to help his idol complete his swan song picture. Solomon tells Michael that his lead actor, Milton McIlroy, and his director, Anton Beaudelaire, have left production after being persuaded to sign up with former gangster Rocco Pelosi's management firm and Rocco is trying to force Richards to pay him off to get his lead and his director back. Per Solomon's request, Michael tracks down and beats up Rocco to get him to back off and then successfully intimidates the two crew members into returning to the set.
Some time later, Rocco and his partner, Gianni, break into Solomon's studio and assault him, trying to force him to pay them off. However, they get caught by Michael, who chases them out of the studio and eventually kills them both.
Solomon manages to complete the film, but he gets betrayed by Weston, who decides to shut down the studio and the production in order to cash in on the insurance and so that he can sell the studio property and develop into luxury condos. Weston gives the analogue copy of the film to his attorney, Molly Schultz, as she leaves the city so that she can dispose of it, but Michael follows her to the Airport and attempts to recover the film, scaring Molly (who believes Michael is trying to kill her) and causing her to accidentally get sucked into a jet engine. The film is left untouched and Michael manages to recover it, only to later discover that Solomon kept several digital copies that Michael wasn't aware of.
Following the Molly incident, Solomon and Michael attend the premiere of Meltdown, but Michael misses it to save his family after Weston sent a platoon of his Merryweather soldiers to his home to kill them. Meltdown turns out to have mixed critical reception, but audiences love it and the film becomes the biggest box office hit of Solomon's career.
Films produced
- Nelson in Naples (1968)
- High School! (1969)
- Rum Runner (1973)
- An American Divorce (1978)
- Vinewood Zombie (1981)
- Lions & Donkeys (1984)
- The Shoulder of Orion I
- The Shoulder of Orion II (1992)
- Arthur Penny's Sanitorium (1994)
- The Welshman
- Deep Inside
- Meltdown (2013)
Mission appearances
- GTA V
- Mr. Richards (Boss)
- Monkey Business (Post-mission phone call)
- Fresh Meat (Post-mission phone call)
- The Ballad of Rocco (Boss)
- Reuniting the Family (Post-mission phone call)
- Legal Trouble (Boss)
- Meltdown (Boss)
- The Third Way (Post-mission phone call)
Trivia
- Michael De Santa can call Richards after the completion of several missions. Richards starts off every phone call with a quote from a movie of his, which then Michael will name the movie, and ask how Michael is doing or tell him how the production of a movie is doing.
- If you call him after Monkey Business, he will use a phrase from the movie High School!, he also mentions that he is in Liberty City receiving a life time award.
- If you call him after Meltdown, he will use a phrase from the movie Meltdown, Michael also mentions that working for Solomon was the best thing that ever happened in his life.
- If you call him after Something Sensible or The Third Way, he will use a phrase from the movie Arthur Penny's Sanitorium, he also asks Michael if he knows anyone who can fund their next movie, because the Union Depository robbery messed with their economy, Michael says that he know the perfect guy and invite Solomon for a dinner so they can talk more about it.
- Sometimes when switching to Michael, he might be a block away from his house arguing with a restaurant bouncer and saying: "I don't know him, I work with him!" or coming out saying: "Great lunch amigo!". this is a possible reference to Solomon.