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Another major video game franchise is getting a movie adaptation, but this time it’s all about racing. Here’s a look at the upcoming Gran Turismo movie!
Sony’s Gran Turismo Coming to the Big Screen
Sony has been adapting their video game catalog into other entertainment properties a bit recently. Uncharted hit theaters last year, The Last of Us series has been making waves recently, and there are plans underway for other AAA titles like God of War to join the fray. One such Sony production that is based on a video game that’s more grounded in reality is the upcoming Gran Turismo. The racing simulator game has been a key part of Sony’s repertoire since 1997 back on the original PlayStation. Since that time the franchise has grown to have numerous titles, feature thousands of real-world cars, and has amassed a fanbase that continues to make Gran Turismo one of the top selling video game franchises.
As far as the movie goes, it should be as high-speed, heart pumping, and exciting like the game we fans have come to know. Now we get to toss the PS5 controllers and experience Gran Turismo on the big screen. Watch as these drivers go from taking on Driving School challenges and begin racing into their Career Mode… except with more story elements and conflict based on real events. Here’s what we know so far about the Gran Turismo movie.
The Gran Turismo Story
Gran Turismo the video game doesn’t really have an actual story to speak of. There aren’t any characters and there isn’t a specific narrative. It’s just you, the player, tackling different challenges in Driving School, collecting various classes of cars, and eventually getting first place at every available track in every class. It’s almost a “sandbox” approach in that aspect – here are the tools to build your own story that’s told yourself. If that’s the case, how are we getting a movie based in the world of Gran Turismo then?
That’s where the “based on a true story” tagline comes into play for the Gran Turismo movie. This isn’t only taking the simulation racing game into account, this movie is also a retelling of a joint venture between Sony’s PlayStation, game developer Polyphony Digital, and auto manufacturer Nissan. Starting in 2008, the GT Academy was a competition that took skilled Gran Turismo video game racers and placed them behind the wheel of an actual race car. Not only that, but the grand prize of the whole event was a spot on the Nissan racing team along with all the training and licensing one would need to race in international, real-world racing events. Our main character(s) in this movie are more than likely going to be entrants into this GT Academy.
The GT Academy was a daunting idea when it was introduced to the public. No one had ever tried taking a simulation racer and translating their skills into an actual real-world racing scenario. In order to get the chance, all contestants had to do was be 18 or older, hold a valid driver’s license, and never have had a racing license equivalent to a Motor Sport Association UK: A Class License or higher. From there they could move into the GT Academy Qualification round.
During Qualification, contestants would participate in head-to-head competition racing in the Gran Turismo game. There were four rounds in which competitors had to complete the fastest lap time in four different vehicles at four different tracks. Some of these Qualification events took place in person using Sony PlayStation gaming pods at gaming events or conventions but would otherwise take place online through the PlayStation Network.
Once the top drivers from the Qualification stage had been identified, they’d move on to the National Finals. The National Finals had the competitors perform fastest lap attempts in person in the Gran Turismo video game. Then they would be given a Nissan vehicle to perform real-life testing of their skills similar to the ones in game. And finally, they’d undergo testing for fitness, health, vision, and personality. The top competitors from this round would then move onto the GT Academy Race Camp.
The GT Academy Race Camp is more than likely where a majority of our movie will take place. This point in the competition is where all the best Gran Turismo drivers from around Europe, Asia, or even the entire world (depending on what year the movie takes place) come together to learn and compete at the Silverstone Circuit in the UK. Race Camp is a week full of competition between your regional team and against other regions. Each team was given a judge with a background in racing to monitor the competitors, act as a mentor, and eventually eliminate until they were left with their best racer. I’m assuming David Harbour from Stranger Things slots in as a judge for his role in the film.
These final competitors in the GT Academy would go through more challenges and compete in a final race against each other. The final race results along with the competitors’ development throughout race camp was all taken into account by the head judge who ultimately names the GT Academy winner. This head judge position is likely the role Orlando Bloom may fit. From this point, the GT Academy winner (assumingly our main character) moves on to the Nissan Driver Development Program which is a multi-month training program. The winner would also join the GT Academy Nissan RJN Motorsport Team where they would participate in national level races in order to get enough points to qualify for an International Racing License.
There have been numerous GT Academy winners throughout the competition’s nine-year span, but only a handful have achieved notable success. One of these winners happens to be the main character of the Gran Turismo movie, Jann Mardenborough. He was the third GT Academy winner in 2011. Mardenborough has podiumed in his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Dubai 24 Hour. He went on to compete in GT Championships, FIA World Endurance, Formula 3, and finally Super GT before taking a hiatus from the sport after 2020.
Gran Turismo Movie Cars
This movie is going to feature a lot of cars and it seems like iconic sports cars and high-performance GT racers are taking center stage. If this is anything like the video game or the real GT Academy though, there will be some lower classed cars raced too along with the chance to possibly see some skillful go-karting. I can speculate on all the cars that could show up, but let’s stick to the few we can identify in the recently released trailer for Gran Turismo.
Ligier Nissan DPi
The opening close up is of the PlayStation sponsored Ligier Nissan DPi. It’s seen throughout the trailer racing against similar models with different liveries. This is a specially engineered race car featuring extensive aero work and it’s powered by the same powertrain used by the Nissan GT-R. The LED lighting installed throughout should look pretty eye-catching during these segments in the film.
Nissan GT-R
It wouldn’t be right to have a movie about the GT Academy without referencing Nissan’s most popularized model, the Nissan GT-R. The ones seen in the film aren’t just any GT-Rs though, these are NISMO versions that have underwent extensive tuning and installed with higher end parts. They’re essentially the best track car possible and would cost over $200,000 should they be damaged. Talk about pressure.
Chevrolet Camaro GT3 and Lexus RC F GT3
Next, we see some high-speed drone footage following a Chevrolet Camaro GT3 race car with a green and black livery. The drone swings around to show a unique looking Lexus RC F GT3 race car coming up from behind. This shot along with the following shots of the next couple cars makes me wonder if they’re actually taking place in real life or acting as dramatized representations of the players racing against each other in the Gran Turismo game.
Porsche 911 GT3 and McLaren 720S GT3
We get some more drone footage sweeping across a white Porsche 911 GT3 with blue stripes and on to maroon and yellow McLaren 720S GT3.
BMW M4 GT3
There’s a glimpse of a BMW M4 GT3 from a quick shot positioned at on the right side of the DPi.
Lamborghini Huracán GT3, Audi RS GT3, Ferrari 458 GT3, and Ford GT
Finally, we get a close up of the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 with the rest of the field behind it. Some of these cars are hard to make out, but we were able to identify a white Audi RS GT3, a red Ferrari 458 GT3, and a blue Ford GT that’s seen in a later sweeping shot.
Coming to Theaters This Year
It’s hard to tell what the “drama” and “romance” aspects of this film will be about, but cars will definitely be at the forefront. Gran Turismo is looking to be a unique experience that will bring the excitement of the franchise and the history of the GT Academy to the big screen. Catch it in theaters August 11, 2023 and be on the lookout for the return of the GT Academy perhaps…
