‘Gran Turismo’ Trailer: Neill Blomkamp Directs True Story Of A Gamer Turned Professional Racer

Are video game adaptations the new superhero films? It’s too early to say, but the former are definitely on the rise with The Last of Us, Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog, and loads more titles on the way. Sony Pictures is hoping the interest in video games continues to Gran Turismo, based on the bestselling racing game franchise played by millions on the Sony Playstation.

The first major studio effort from director Neill Blomkamp since 2015’s Chappie (also with Sony), Gran Turismo isn’t actually based on any one particular game. Instead, it’s based on the real-life story of Jann Mardenbrough, a Gran Turismo gamer who won the GT Academy competition and became a professional race car driver.

Newcomer Archie Madekwe stars, joined by David Harbour, Djimon Hounsou, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, and Spice Girl member Geri Horner, who happens to be married to an ex-race car driver.

Gran Turismo opens in theaters on August 11th.

Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.

 

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.