Take it as informed opinion, or the latest in a long line of sweet nothings as the company primes its takeover bid for Take Two, but Electronic Art's CEO John Riccitiello has stated that Hollywood executives fear that this spring's big blockbuster Iron Man's success at the box office could be affected by the release of Grand Theft Auto IV

Speaking to the Financial Times, Riccitiello said "The buzz in Hollywood, which I heard from some Hollywood folks...is people are worried whether Iron Man the movie is going to get killed by Grand Theft Auto the game." Grand Theft Auto IV is due to launch worldwide on April 29, with Iron Man hitting American cinemas on April 30 before opening in the UK on May 2."It feels like what movie moguls might have seen in the 1920s and said: 'Hey, we've got talkies now, where is it going?'" he continued, "I feel like we've stepped through a time window where our games are so compelling and seem so real."The comments come as Electronic Art's bid for Grand Theft Auto publishers Take Two steps up a gear, with more details of the increasingly hostile takeover attempt expected to emerge later this week.