Historically, video game movies have not performed well. They're like anime movies. Usually, it involves a lot of plot condensation, or reaching the point where the plot works within the scope of the theme. Then, you have to do all this while making the studio happy. In this case, whoever backed the film on Polyphony Digital and Sony, the latter is now dabbling in making electric cars. Needless to say, making a Gran Turismo movie will be a daunting task. It has to tell a compelling story while showcasing a hot new car like the Nissan Z, which is obviously hard not to look like a cheap marketing campaign.
However, in any case, some brave souls are trying to make it happen. Announced at this year's Game Awards, Neil Blomkamp will be participating in a Gran Turismo film that will premiere on August 11, 2023.
Honestly, this plot will be difficult to develop. Making a Need for Speed movie is very simple, mainly because the creators are able to incorporate the whole "crime in the express" thing, such as Fast & Furious. This is not an option. Gran Turismo is a simulation racing game. It's for those with racing wheels, headphones, and gloves, and to understand how gaming tire pressure, which non-gamers might call unhealthy, works. Turning it into a movie, to say the least, will be a challenge.
Apparently, the story will follow a teenage Gran Turismo player into a professional racing driver. Sounds a bit like Ready Player One meets The Days of Thunder. Thankfully, Blomkamp is a very accomplished name, he holds titles like District 9 and Chapi, and he may be able to cast magic in this GT movie.
Then there's the fact that at the heart of the film is the fact that it's about cars. The car hobby is a niche hobby. Sure, it's a sprawling, multibillion-dollar industry, but fanatics are a fickle bunch. What makes films like Rush and Ford vs Ferrari successful is that the car is just a plot device.
Instead, the real story is the drama in the film that revolves around humans: the clash of personalities of Nikki Lauda and James Hunt, or the story of Ken Myers and Carol Shelby crusade against the big bad guy Enzo Ferrari and Ford's opponents. If the film fails to take full advantage of the human struggle to become a professional racing driver, it will only become a marketing gimmick.