Gran Turismo is a biographical sports drama film released in 2023, inspired by the sim racing video game series created by Polyphony Digital. Produced by Columbia Pictures, PlayStation Productions, and 2.0 Entertainment, the film was helmed by director Neill Blomkamp, with a screenplay crafted by Jason Hall and Zach Baylin. Gran Turismo has earned $122 million globally at Box Office against a budget of $60 million and has received mixed reviews from critics, who lauded Blomkamp’s direction and the thrilling racing sequences, while expressing concerns over the writing and the portrayal of Mardenborough’s crash at the Nürburgring Nordschleife as a narrative device.
It tells the captivating story of British driver Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Turismo enthusiast who transitioned into a professional racing car driver. The journey to create a film based on Gran Turismo began in July 2013, with Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti as producers and Alex Tse as the screenwriter.
Initially, Joseph Kosinski was slated to direct in June 2015, working from a new script by Jon and Erich Hoeber, but this version was ultimately shelved by February 2018. In May 2022, the project was revived, and Blomkamp was confirmed as the director in June.
The primary cast was revealed in September 2022, with additional actors joining in November. Filming commenced in Hungary that same month and concluded in December. The film’s score was composed by Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski.
Gran Turismo had it’s premiere at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on July 30, 2023, and was released in the United States on August 25 by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures Releasing. The film received a nomination for “Best Adaptation” at The Game Awards 2023.
