What happens when you take your passion too seriously? You create miracles. In recent times, Sony Pictures and PlayStation Studios have focused a lot on video game adaptations. In addition to the recent Uncharted film starring Tom Holland, which grossed $400 million, another video game adaptation seems to be a real possibility. According to Deadline, Sony and PlayStation are already preparing for the production of films based on video games, including the popular action-adventure game Ghost of Tsushima.
Regardless, video game enthusiasts have another piece of good news in the form of a live-action film based on the Gran Turismo video game, which is about a famous racer named Jann Mardenborough. Gran Turismo, starring David Harbour, Archie Madekwe, and Orlando Bloom, tells the inspiring story of a gamer who became a professional racer due to his immense passion.
The film's development apparently began in 2013 with Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) at the helm, but it did not go further by 2018. A new Gran Turismo film began production in May 2022 and wrapped up in December 2022 in Hungary. That said, fans of Gran Turismo video games are anticipating the movie to be a huge success, and here's everything we know about it.
Gran Turismo: The Plot & True Story
Sony Pictures Entertainment released the official trailer for Gran Turismo, and here is our interpretation of the plot based on it. Jann Mardenborough (Archie Madekwe) is a passionate gamer who enjoys playing racing games, particularly those of Gran Turismo. His father, on the other hand, disapproves of him and believes he is wasting his time playing video games rather than pursuing his goals.
When Danny Moore (Orlando Bloom) contacts Jann about a contest in which the top Gran Turismo players in the world compete in professional racing, he sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to show himself in the real world.
They had no idea they'd be competing against elite athletes, and Danny had a professional racing instructor named Jack Salter (David Harbour) on board to coach them. With no prior racing experience, Jann will have to rely on his intuition as one of the best gamers in the world to win the upcoming Gran Turismo race.
Although the story of Jann Mardenborough is exaggerated in the film, it is nearly identical to his real life. Mardenborough's career began with him playing Gran Turismo on PlayStation, but he swiftly switched to professional car racing and proved himself. In fact, he competed in a Gran Turismo Academy tournament against 90,000 other participants and became the third and youngest champion, leading him into the real racing world.
He was later rewarded with the opportunity to compete in the Nissan 24-Hour race, and he went on to win multiple Nissan event awards and championships, making him one of the top racers in the world, despite his history as a gamer did not greatly benefit him.
Gran Turismo: The Cast & Crew
One of the most appealing aspects of Gran Turismo is its star-studded ensemble. Jann Mardenborough, the gamer who became a professional racer, is played by Archie Madekwe. This young actor could be seen in Apple TV+'s See as Kofun, Midsommar as Simon, and Voyagers as Kai. Furthermore, Orlando Bloom and David Harbour play Danny Moore and Jack Salter, respectively. The former requires no introduction, as his work as Legalos in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film series has long been praised by fans.
He also played Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. In addition, Orlando is well-known for his roles in Troy, Romeo and Juliet, and Carnival Row. Meanwhile, David Harbour is best known for his appearances in Stranger Things, Violent Night, Marvel's Black Widow, and Suicide Squad. While these are some of the film's most prominent cast members, it also includes Djimon Hounsou, Geri Horner, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Josha Strawdowski, Selin Cuhadaroglu, Maya Murofushi, and many more.
Gran Turismo is directed by Neill Blomkamp, a South African-Canadian director and screenwriter. He previously received an Academy Award nomination in 2010 for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay for the film District 9. Furthermore, he is well-known for directing several popular films, including Chappie, Elysium, Demonic, and Netflix's Oats Studios. Jason Hall, known for American Sniper, and Zach Baylin, who previously worked on Creed III and King Richard, are in charge of the film's writing.
Lorne Balfe, a two-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee known for his work on Megamind, Black Adam, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, will compose the music for Gran Turismo. The film is produced by Doug Belgrad, Dana Brunetti, Asad Qizilbash, and Carter Swan, with executive producers Jason Hall, Matthew Hirsch, Herman Hulst, and Kazunori Yamauchi.
Gran Turismo: Release Date
The upcoming adventure film Gran Turismo will be released in theaters on Aug. 11.