After the success ofUncharted, Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are set to partner up again for the film adaptation of the popular racing gameGran Turismo. The film is in the early stages of development, so little is known about the plot or if it will be animated or live-action. However,Deadlinereports that Sony is looking atNeill Blomkampto direct the film.
Neill Blomkamp is best known for his sci-fi action movies likeDistrict 9andElysium. He also spent several years developing theHALOlive-action film, but the internal politics between Universal, Fox Studios, and Microsoft derailed the production before it even began. After several other failed projects, includingAlien 5and theRobocoplegacy sequel, Blomkamp declared that he won’t work on big-budget films anymore and will instead focus on short films.
But if reports of Blomkamp adaptingGran Turismoare true, then it’ll be a treat for gaming enthusiasts and racing aficionados, as the director is known for his incredible attention to detail and has vast experience working as a 3-D animator and visual effects artist. You can check out Blomkamp’sHALOshort films on YouTube to get a better idea of his work.
Sony announced a slew of projects recently, including the long-awaited God of War series, in development at Amazon andHorizon Zero Dawn series at Netflix. Rumors were circulating thatGran Turismowould also get a TV series, but Deadline has confirmed otherwise.
Gran Turismois a racing simulation game created by Kazunori Yamauchi of Polyphony Digital in 1997. It is one of the best-selling video game franchises ever, having sold over 85 million copies worldwide. In Yamauchi’s own words, the game is described as:
“Gran Turismo is an integrated simulator for enjoying life with cars. It’s a sandbox where players can freely discover experiences on their own. Various features, the engines and systems supporting these on the back end, along with the massive amount of content, will set players up to enjoy their life with cars.”
Gran Turismohas had a long road to get here. Thefilm has been in developmentfor a decade and had Joseph Kosinski(Tron: Legacy, Top Gun: Maverick)attached as director. Kosinski was rewriting Alex Tse’s(Watchmen)script in 2015, but the project ultimately fell through.
Related:God of War Series Officially in Development at Amazon
Gran Turismois one of Many Video Game Adaptation in Works Right Now in Hollywood
Hollywood is cashing in on the ever-growing popularity of video games with live-action and animated adaptations. Although, the majority of those released till now ended up beingoutright terrible or outraged the fansby not respecting the source material. There just doesn’t seem to be a successful, non-controversial video game movie. But that trend is slowly changing with films likeSonic the HedgehogandPokemon, which’ve not only pleased the critics but the fans as well.
Several popular PlayStation and PC games are currently in the works, many of them by Sony Pictures TV, likeThe Last of Usseries at HBOand Twisted Metal at Peacock.Borderlands, Metal Gear Solid,andSplinter Cellwill be getting the big-screen treatment. Hopefully, they’ll stay true to the games’ story. As forGran Turismo,if it’s live-action, it could fill the void which’ll be created by the conclusion ofthe Fast & Furiousseries in 2024. With barely any plot or memorable characters in the games,Gran Turismois a dream project for any writer, and all the makers need to do is deliver exciting world-building and thrilling racing.
