A new Gran Turismo movie trailer offers a BTS look at the upcoming adaptation full of immersive racing sequences that resemble the video game. Gran Turismo, based on the realistic racing franchise launched in 1997 for the PlayStation, has been in the works since 2013. Sony Pictures announced a new iteration in May 2022 with director Neill Blomkamp at the helm and starring Archie Madekwe as Jann Mardenborough, a GT Academy winner in 2011 who became a professional race car driver for Nissan.
The first Gran Turismo movie sneak peek trailer delivers an exhilarating BTS preview of the highly technical racing scenes that will make up a significant part of the adaptation. Sony Pictures Entertainment shares the video featuring Madekwe and costars David Harbour and Orlando Bloom, who promote the film as being “made for the cinema” and including action, drama, a love story, incredible sound, and an immersive race car experience. The trailer ends by stating that Gran Turismo will release exclusively in theaters.
How the Gran Turismo Movie Will Appeal to Video Game Fans
From the beginning of the Gran Turismo BTS video, it looks and sounds like an immersive racing film, indicative of the racing simulation video games bearing the same name. As a game franchise, Gran Turismo has always been known for its in-depth, realistic race car action, to such a degree that GT Academy allowed talented players to transition into professional real-world racing. Mardenborough is one of the most famous GT Academy graduates, and his story will undoubtedly appeal to Gran Turismo video game fans who also aspire to race professionally.
Aside from the true story of Mardenborough at the heart of the Gran Turismo movie adaptation, the production design appears stellar. The Sony Pictures preview highlights the incredible cinematography, stunt work, and sound design that are going into creating a film resembling the beloved Gran Turismo video games. One scene portrays this effort by showing a chase cam behind a Nissan race car, incredibly similar to a popular camera angle presented in the PlayStation games. Another features a POV shot from behind the car’s steering wheel, placing the viewer inside the driver’s seat.
If Harbour and Bloom’s excitement about the project is any indication, the Gran Turismo movie will be a faithful adaptation of the hit PlayStation racing franchise. Luckily, the BTS video backs that up with thrilling race footage, and hints of Mardenborough’s inspiring journey will be an excellent way to bridge the gap between video gaming and real-life racing. However, some YouTube users have expressed concern with the romance angle muddling the racing elements and possibly limiting their overall screen time, which is valid. If the Gran Turismo movie hopes to succeed, Blomkamp and Sony Pictures would be wise to adhere to a race-heavy movie adaptation.
Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment