Gran Turismo: David Harbour gets behind the wheel of Neill Blomkamp’s adaptation for Sony Pictures

Last Updated on September 16, 2022

Sony was not kidding when they promised to adapt several of their flagship game franchises into major motion pictures. With adaptations of Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Days Gone, Gravity Rush, Twisted Metal, The Last of Us, and more on the way, the studio is determined to bring gamers out of their basements and into movie theaters. Another project Sony Pictures will bring to the grand stage is Sony and Polyphony’s Gran Turismo, based on the acclaimed racing game that helped redefine expectations for the genre. David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow) is attached to star in the adaptation, lending an impressive amount of star power to the film produced by PlayStation Production’s Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Doug Belgrad, and Dana Brunetti.

Jason Hall and Zach Baylan wrote the screenplay for Gran Turismo. Meanwhile, Kazunori Yamauchi, who created the game, executive produces alongside Hall. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gran Turismo is based on a true story. The project 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.” Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie, Elysium) is directing, taking the filmmaker outside his science-fiction wheelhouse.

Sony’s Gran Turismo franchise has sold 80 million copies worldwide, with the latest installment, Gran Turismo 7, released on March 4, 2022. Despite making the ultimate Gran Turismo experience in Gran Turismo 7, the game upset dedicated players by introducing a predatory monetization system. Sony quickly scrambled to quell the complaints, finding themselves in deeper water than before. While Gran Turismo 7 is a work-in-progress, Harbour joining the film adaptation is enormous news. Since Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog broke the video game adaptation curse, several studios have been trying to keep the momentum going. Do you think Gran Turismo will hit the pavement running? Let us know in the comments.