'Gran Turismo' movie plot details emerge, gets release date

The “Gran Turismo” video game franchise is getting a live-action project for the big screen. However, rather than a variety of race cars gathering in the shadow of Trial Mountain for a big showdown, new details reveal a much more meta plot line.

According to Deadline, it’s as follows: Based on a true story, 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 race car driver.

It appears that the film will be about playing “Gran Turismo” the game instead of concocting a plot from the in-game universe, as Sony’s PlayStation Productions titles like “Uncharted” have done. Back in 2013, another attempt at a “Gran Turismo” movie had a story based on the rise of Lucas Ordóñez.

Ordóñez was the first winner of the inaugural GT Academy, where “Gran Turismo” players competed for a seat on a real race team. After winning GT Academy in 2008, Ordóñez was part of a Nissan race team that finished ninth in class at the 24 Hours of Dubai in 2009. He has gone on to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times, finishing as high as second in his class.

The Deadline story also states that Neill Blomkamp has been attached to direct. Blomkamp is best known for his sci-fi features “District 9,” “Elysium” and “Chappie.” The latter two have featured Nissan GT-Rs. Blomkamp is a known car enthusiast, and a Motor Trend interview from 2015 revealed that he has owned three GT-Rs, a Subaru WRX, Lexus LFA, Acura NSX, Hummer H1, Corvette ZR1 and BMW M3.

That’s practically a “Gran Turismo” garage in itself, which bodes will for the movie adaptation. It is scheduled for release in August 2023.