Gran Turismo's First Trailer Is A High-Octane Joy Ride For PlayStation Lovers

Is Sony about to drop another groundbreaking video game adaptation?

"Gran Turismo," one of PlayStation's most iconic franchises, is headed to the big screen in an unlikely way. A live-action, big screen adaptation of Polyphony Digital's critically acclaimed racing simulator series has been in the works for nearly a decade. At one point, even "Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski was attached to direct the Sony Pictures flick, though talks ultimately fell through.

The franchise has been around since the first PlayStation, dominating the charts since the '90s, making it a key series for the company. Because of its near three-decade legacy, the franchise has been a must-play for several generations of gamers. To date, the series has sold over 90 million copies, per PlayStation, making it one of the best-selling videogame franchises of all time.

Expectations are high for the live-action adaptation, which is why Sony has roped in "District 9" director Neil Blomkamp to bring the video game to local multiplexes in a unique way. Instead of creating a film surrounding a fictional "Gran Turismo" player, or setting the narrative inside the game itself, Blomkamp is taking inspiration from real life. The film is based on Jann Mardenborough, a real-life "Gran Turismo" player who participated in a virtual racing competition held by PlayStation and Nissan. Mardenborough honed his skills in the video game and broke barriers by becoming a racing driver, participating in the Super Formula championship.

The first trailer for Sony's "Gran Turismo" is filled with striking images of race cars zooming past the camera, making this video game adaptation look as authentic and exciting as possible. Both racing enthusiasts and fans of the video game will be pleased to see the attention to detail that has been paid to make the world feel real and alive.

While speaking at Sony's 2023 CES press conference (via IGN), director Neil Blomkamp expressed just how excited he was to make a film about racing. "I love cars and it was this opportunity to shoot, like, high-adrenaline car photography in a way that really excited me," the director said. He continued by teasing how the film uses unique technology to put the audience right into the driver's cramped cockpit for a more immersive experience.

While "Gran Turismo" is marketing itself as a high-octane racing flick in the same vein as "Rush" or "Days of Thunder," what particularly makes it exciting is the coming-of-age aspect, which should make the adaptation a true crowd-pleaser. The trailer also highlights the film's supporting cast, which includes "Stranger Things" star David Harbour, "Pirates of the Caribbean" alumni Orlando Bloom, and character actor and general icon Djimon Hounsou. The film will be PlayStation Production's second big-screen effort. The studio previously released a live-action adaptation of "Uncharted" in 2022 and made the jump to the small screen with HBO's critically-acclaimed "The Last of Us" series.

"Gran Turismo" races its way into cinemas on August 11.