about Gran Turismo the movie, yes that is curling the loop. And good. Sony Pictures will bring the successful driving video game saga to the big screen, ensuring fast-paced races and spectacular pussy. So far, all normal. What is really unusual is that, in addition, it is a biopic. In other words: The film, based on a PlayStation video game, It’s based on real events. How is it possible?
The key to this original proposal goes through two main gears. The first is the legacy, identity and culture emanating from the driving saga itself, it would be missing more, while the second is the protagonist of the film: Jann Mardenborough. A fan of Gran Turismo video games who ended up competing in professional motorsport circuits. A true story that will hit theaters in 2023.
In iGamesNews we are passionate about video games, especially when they convey a genuine passion. In the specific case of the saga Grand TouringIn addition, that passion, backed by enough talent, has crossed the barrier of the video game into reality to later take an epic leap to become a movie. Precisely for this reason, we are going to put together, and in the same place, everything we know and has been said about GRan Tourism, the movie. Beginning, of course, with the most essential: its arrival on the billboards.
Release date of Gran Turismo and what we know about its domestic distribution
The Gran Turismo movie will be released in theaters on Friday, August 11, 2023 Worldwide. Something that makes a lot of sense, since its deployment and ambitious production fit perfectly with what is expected of a summer blockbuster taking over at the box office from the last big spring release from the same studios: Spider-Man: Crossing the Multiverse.
We know that the release will be exclusively in theaters, although it is not ruled out that before the end of the year it ends up reaching the domestic format through editions on disc and even some streaming video platform following in the footsteps of Uncharted, the movie.
For now, in Europe the premieres of Sony Pictures are given in Movistar + through a prolific agreement, although we have seen how house movies (like those of Spider-Man) have been offered through different subscription services. In any case, Sony licenses its releases through sale and rental to all platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Google or Microsoft.
Synopsis and what we know about the plot of Gran Turismo
Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the greatest wish come true of a teenage Gran Turismo gamer whose talents saw him win a series of Nissan championships and eventually become a true professional racing driver.
As we commented, Gran Turismo the movie is actually the biopic of Jann Mardenboroughone of the first superstars of the novelty program GT Academy focused on discovering and promoting drivers by Nissan. A success story that does not take off from a traditional circuit, but from his parents’ basement and at the wheel of a PlayStation 3.
The truth is that Mardenborough was in the middle of a sabbatical when he heard about the initiative of GT Academy and he was aware that he was not bad at driving in the video game of Great Tourism. The challenge was to bring that passion for motorsports to a racing circuit. Something that he will achieve in 2011 after proclaiming himself the program champion.
Mardenborough, left, with his GT Academy teammates
Two years later, Mardenborough will already be competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Lucas Ordoñez and Michael Krumm. That same year, in 2013, he will also debut in Formula 3, making a name for himself during then and up to the present with Nissan and Kondo Racing.
Gran turismo, the film, is based on the story of how Mardenborough (who will be played by Archie Madekwe) began his career and his subsequent rise, but Neill Blomkamp, the film’s director will not focus solely on the figure of the driver: we can expect shots and racing sequences shot to do justice to the excitement of video games and, also, to the delight of those passionate about the motor world.
News about production and cast
Plans to carry the saga Grand Touring to movie theaters had been around Sony Pictures for years, but the real spark that began its development jumped in May 2019 with the creation of PlayStation Productions, the division of Sony and PlayStation dedicated to transferring the successes of video games to small and large screens. The first project released was the Uncharted movie and there are currently more than 10 movies and series in production, including the Uncharted movie. Blomkamp.
Sony measured the times very well. He waited to see the performance of Nathan Drake’s first film at the box office and the reception of Gran Turismo 7. In fact, we had to wait exactly two years, in May 2022, to have the first concrete details about the project and the signing of the film director as District 9, Elysium y Chappie. Just a few days later, in early June, the film’s release date will be made official: August 2023.
Since then, Sony Pictures has offered little to no information about the plot and the cast. The first confirmed actor was David Harbour (of Stranger Things), in September 2022, offering some previews of the film’s theme and plot.
A week later, The Hollywood Reporter will make official the actor who will play Jann Mardenborough himself on the big screen: the rising star Archie Madekwe. The next day, PlayStation Productions will announce that Orlando Bloom (Legolas in The Lord of the rings) joined the project. The distribution, by the way, is rounded with Geri Halliwell Horner (yes, the Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls) and Djimon Hounsou.
In January 2023, Neill Blomkamp, the film’s director, spoke about his vision for the project and how he considers himself a huge fan of the series. His approach, as a filmmaker, is to offer the viewer an action adventure film in which the emotion of video games is preserved from the seats. For this, a huge display was made with Rialto cameras that will allow unique shots and sensations on the big screen.
Logically, the GT Academy will be an essential part of the film, and also the perfect excuse to offer intense shots behind the wheel and some romance. We know that, together with Madekwe, Sony Pictures will count on the talents of young actors such as Darren Barnet, Maeve Courtier-Lilley, Emelia Hartford, Pepe Barroso y Sang Heon Leewho will give him the reply on the circuits and in his meteoric rise throughout his career.
As far as the script is concerned, apart from being based on Mardenborough’s own life (who a cameo has been secured) we know that they have participated in the script Jason Hall y Zach Baylin.
In addition, as producers we have Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator of Grand Touring, and Herman Hulst of PlayStation Studios. In addition, Sanford Panitch, the president of Sony Pictures and Asad Qizilbash, the president of PlayStation Productions, are completely invested in making the film a success. Among other things, because it is a key piece for the deployment of Sony.
Grand Touringthe movie: a key piece in the great plan of PlayStation
As we commented, Sony Pictures has more than ten productions in development related to PlayStation, including theatrical releases and television productions such as the God f War series and Horizon Zero Dawn for Amazon and Netflix respectively. In case of Grand Touringhowever, is even more relevant.
Jim Ryan, president of PlayStation, stated that the saga as a whole Gran Turismo has sold more copies than any other PlayStation Studios franchise. Which is said fast. Now, the great plan is not to make a big box office, that too, but to bring a saga that is very well established for those who are passionate about video games and the motor world to the general public, as the creator of the saga said Kazunori Yamauchi.
I think of Sony as a company that not only has the best technology, but also the best corporate culture. What it means, for example, is that if we make a video game, visual technology, sensor technology, sound technology or AI technology [Inteligencia Artificial] from Sony are used in the most efficient way,
What I think about the Gran Turismo movie is that the saga is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has become a recognizable brand in both the motorsport and video game industries, but by making a movie a brand that is only known by the car industry. motoring also becomes known to the general public.
For its part, PlayStation Productions, the division in charge of bringing Sony video games to film and television, will not put all its eggs in one basket and, together with the Gran Turismo will It is giving shape to a series about which, at the moment, not much is known.
This cinematic boost is expected to reinforce the great plan of a PlayStation in full expansion to new platforms and formats. It’s more, Gran Turismo 7 will make the leap to next-generation virtual reality on PlayStation VR2 and its arrival on PC in the medium or long term cannot be ruled out. But, of course, his ultimate goal is to turn his sagas and characters into icons for the general public. As they are Mario, Sonic o Minecraft.
And we are not going to deny it. In a year in which Microsoft launches Forza Motorsport, redoubling the value of the saga Grand Touring it is transcendental.
Trailers and images
From here to the premiere of Gran Turismo the movie, we can expect new trailers, promotional trailers and spectacular events within the competitive division of Polyphony Digital. And not only that: we hope that Sony celebrates its premiere with some important news in a Gran Turismo 7 that has not stopped adding news and content monthly since its launch. In any case, at iGamesNews we will update our text so that you have all the news at hand and in one place.
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