Sony and PlayStation have been in the process of adapting many of their video game properties for both the big and small screen, with Gran Turismo set to join that ever-growing list. Columbia Pictures has revealed the release date as well as the synopsis of the upcoming film. The adaptation of PlayStation's premier racing series is set to release in theaters on August 11, 2023.
The upcoming video game adaptation is based on a true story and will follow a teenage player of the popular video game. Through their skills and abilities in Gran Turismo, they would go on to win a series of competitions for the game before going on to become an actual professional race car driver. The Gran Turismo film adaptation was first reported back in May 2022 and is directed by District 9's Neill Blomkamp, who is himself a Gran Turismo fan. The film's screenplay was penned by Jason Hall with the film being produced by PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan as well as Doug Belgrad and Dana Brunetti. Columbia Pictures is the production company alongside PlayStation Productions.
The Gran Turismo video game series of the same name began in 1997 and is a racing simulation game that aims to emulate the look and feel of many different vehicles. The series most recently released Gran Turismo 7 on March 4, 2022, and in its 25-year lifetime, has sold over 85 million units worldwide, making it PlayStation's highest-selling video game franchise.
Gran Turismo grows the push from Sony to adapt its popular series into both film and TV series, with Uncharted starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg released earlier this year and crossed $400 million globally to become the 4th highest-grossing video game adaptation worldwide and the 3rd highest-grossing domestically. Sony did confirm in a Corporate Strategy meeting back in May 2021 that they will be developing 10 adaptations of their games for TV and film with other already confirmed projects including the Ghost of Tsushima film being directed by Chad Stahelski (John Wick), a series adaptation of Twisted Metal for Peacock, and The Last of Us series coming to HBO which recently wrapped filming. Uncharted film director Ruben Fleischer has also said he was working with Sony on an adaptation of the popular action-platformer series Jak and Daxter, though this has not yet been confirmed.
Gran Turismo will premiere on August 11, 2023. You can check out its official synopsis down below.
Based on a true story, 'Gran Turismo' 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 race car driver.