If you are wondering what the upcoming Gran Turismo movie is based on, then you are not alone. It is one of the first questions fans of the video game thought when they heard Neill Blomkamp, a director best known for District 9 and Elysium, is making a feature film based on it.
The Gran Turismo is a long-running series catering to PlayStation platforms exclusively. The series majorly focus on cars, racing, and customization. It doesn’t feature much of a story or characters, which is the primary requirement of a feature film. Read ahead to discover how Blomkamp aims to adapt the video game in his movie.
What is Gran Turismo’s movie based on?
Neill Blomkamp decided to make a feature film based on a true story for which he required scenes of cars and racing. This requirement is fulfilled with the popular racing game Gran Turismo. Meanwhile, the movie is a biopic of players who play the Gran Turismo.
- This is a novelty approach to adapting a video game for big screens and opens the creative gates for future projects. Let’s find out more about the movie’s synopsis, its star cast, and tentative release date.
Gran Turismo movie adapts Jann Mardenborough’s story to big screens
Jann Mardenborough is a Gran Turismo player whose efficiencies in the game landed him the opportunity to drive and race in real life. Additionally, changing the direction of his life as he went on to become an award-winning racing driver.
- Jann’s talent at playing GT5 on PlayStation 3 won him a place at Nissan’s PlayStation GT Academy. Nissan and Sony Interactive Entertainment funded the academy in their dream project of getting the game’s best players onto the actual tracks.
- Following a series of competitions, the winners were prized the chance to drive racing cars at the academy and find a place on the Nissan team. Jann excelled at the academy and joined the team fulfilling his childhood dream.
As a professional racer primarily in Formula Racing, Jann placed 10th in the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand. In the same year, he also placed third in the 24 Hours at Le Mans. Following this success, at 21, he continued to rank well in subsequent races and series.
- This wasn’t just luck, as Jann was talented at his hobby, which attained him success in his profession. He showed the same capabilities behind a steering wheel as holding a video game controller.
- Unfortunately, he ended up in a tragic accident on the tracks in 2015. Jann lost control of his car, and it careened off, resulting in a spectator’s death and many injuries. Jann didn’t suffer any serious injuries, making it one of the lowest points in his career.
- The Gran Turismo movie will explore the cinematic story of Jann Mardenborough from the video game controller to the steering wheel, and Archie Madekwe will play the titular role.
How realistic is the Gran Turismo movie?
As much as the Gran Turismo movie will try to stay true to the real events, it has taken certain creative liberties to flesh out the screenplay. Such as, the character of Darren Cox, portrayed by Orlando Bloom, is dramatized with a new name.
- Darren Cox is a businessman and a motorsport marketing executive. The GT Academy, which plays a vital role in the life of Jann Mardenborough, was also a project of Cox. He previously worked with Renault before going to work with Nissan.
- Apart from Orlando Bloom, the Gran Turismo movie also features other famous stars, including Stranger Things’Â David Harbour. The film also alters and fictionalizes the names, events, backgrounds, and personalities.
THIS. ACTUALLY. HAPPENED. See the INSANE TRUE STORY of #GranTurismoMovie exclusively in movie theaters August 11. Get your speeding tix at https://t.co/sTTK00HglD. pic.twitter.com/YoDxTsFJLH
— Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story (@granturismo) July 20, 2023
- The fans of Gran Turismo shouldn’t miss out on the movie as it replicates the video games and real-world races with cars, visuals, and excellent stunts. Director Neill Blomkamp has also expressed his preference for practical stunts during filmmaking over special effects.
- Additionally, the movie will show the inspiring story of dreams coming true and the adoration towards Gran Turismo that many fans of video games will relate with.
The Gran Turismo movie will release on August 11 in the United States, starring Archie Madekwe, David Harbour, and Orlando Bloom.
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