Gran Turismo film bags Stranger Things' David Harbour and Lord of the Rings' Orlando Bloom
Shooting is expected to take place next week.
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Sony's Gran Turismo movie is ramping up, as it casts Lord of the Rings' Orlando Bloom and Stranger Things' David Harbour.
Earlier this year Sony announced that it would be making a Gran Turismo movie, which is certainly a choice for a series that isn't exactly known for its narrative. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Stranger Things and Black Widow star David Harbour will be joining the film, though details of his role haven't been shared yet. And soon after, it was announced that Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom has also been cast in the film.
District 9 and Chappie director Neill Blomkamp is set to direct the project, with a screenplay from Jason Hall (American Sniper). On the production side, PlayStation Productions Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan will produce alongside Doug Belgrad, and Dana Brunetti. A Gran Turismo movie has actually been in development since 2013, but it's unclear if this is meant to be the same film, or another attempt at making one.
While the film is about racing, the plot itself sounds like a slightly odd one. Apparently based on a true story, the film will follow a teenage Gran Turismo player whose virtual driving prowess saw them win a series of Nissan competitions, leading them to become a real, professional race car driver. The teen in question is set to be played by up-and-comer Archie Madekwe, who's starred alongside Jason Momoa (Aquaman) in the Apple TV+ series See.
Harbour will apparently play a retired driver who teaches Madekwe's character to drive, and Bloom will play "a hungry marketing exec who is selling the sport of motor racing … and just may believe in its art, too," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This isn't the only live action adaptation of a Sony IP that's currently in development either. Earlier this year Sony announced that a God of War show is in the works at Amazon Prime, while a Horizon Zero Dawn project is being worked on over at Netflix. Though these two don't appear to be as far along as Gran Turismo just yet.
The Gran Tursimo film is currently slated to release August 11, 2023, with filming finally taking place next week in Europe.