Is Gran Turismo a true story? Separating fact from fiction
Gran Turismo is an American biographical sports drama film directed by Neill Blomkamp and premiered on August 25, 2023. The awe-inspiring movie draws inspiration from Jann Mardenborough's transition from a gamer to a professional race car driver. Given the complexity of this cinematic masterpiece, fans often ask, is Gran Turismo a true story?
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Gran Turismo chronicles an incredible transformation from video game enthusiasts to real-life racing legends. The film combines adrenaline-fueled racing with emotional storytelling, prompting fans to question whether Gran Turismo is actually based on a true story.
Gran Turismo's profile summary
| Director | Neill Blomkamp |
| Writers | Jason HallZach & BaylinAlex Tse |
| Story by | Jason Hall Alex Tse |
| Stars | David Harbour, Orlando Bloom & Archie Madekwe |
| Based on | Gran Turismo by Polyphony Digital |
| IMDb Rating | 7.1/10 |
| Release date | August 25, 2023 (United States) |
| Countries of origin | Japan & United States |
| Production companies | Columbia PicturesPlayStation Productions2.0 Entertainment |
| Also known as | Gran Turismo: De Jugador A Corredor |
| Filming locations | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Running time | 134 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Official sites | Official Facebook, Official Gran Turismo |
Is Gran Turismo a true story?
The Gran Turismo movie, released in 2023, is based on the real story of Jann Mardenborough, but the film takes creative liberties for dramatic effect. Jann is a renowned British race driver who transitioned from a skilled video gamer to a professional racing driver.
Growing up, Jann dreamed of holding a steering wheel. In a 2016 interview with Car Throttle, Mardenborough explained about his humble beginnings, saying,
I didn’t do any karting, I didn’t know anyone in motorsport. So it became just a dream, just a goal which is so unachievable.
Source: Original
Who is the real Gran Turismo driver?
Gran Turismo's real driver is Jann Mardenborough, a British professional racing driver. Mardenborough gained fame as the third winner of the GT Academy in 2011, a competition that transformed skilled Gran Turismo gamers into professional racers. He won among over 90,000 entrants despite having no prior motorsport experience, showcasing his exceptional talent.
Who are the cast of Gran Turismo?
The cast of the film Gran Turismo (2023) features a mix of top actors portraying key characters based on real-life figures involved in the story of Jann Mardenborough. Below is a breakdown of the some of the franchise's cast:
| Character | Role |
| Archie Madekwe | Jann Mardenborough |
| Orlando Bloom | Danny Moore |
| Takehiro Hira | Kazunori Yamauchi |
| Darren Barnet | Matty Davis |
| Geri Horner | Lesley Mardenborough (as Geri Halliwell Horner) |
| Josha Stradowski | Nicholas Capa |
| Maeve Courtier-Lilley | Audrey |
| Djimon Hounsou | Steve Mardenborough |
| Nikhil Parmar | Persol |
| Akie Kotabe | Akira Akiba |
Jann Mardenborough crash
Jann Mardenborough's crash at the Nürburgring in 2015 was a tragic event that resulted in the death of one spectator and injuries to several others. During a VLN endurance race, Mardenborough's Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 became airborne, flying over barriers and tumbling into a crowd of spectators.
Source: Facebook
Following the horrendous incident, Mardenborough, who suffered only minor injuries, asked director Neill Blomkamp to include the accident in the film. However, the filmmakers altered the timeline of events, depicting the crash as occurring in 2013 instead of 2015.
Critics have noted that this timeline manipulation may detract from the authenticity of Jann's story, given the real-life implications of the crash. On his side, Mardenborough insisted that the scene was ideally included, saying,
The producers and the writers made sure, and I made sure, that it was meticulously done correctly And the movie does a really good job at representing that. Not only the way it happened but also the aftermath. Because it was like that.
Did Jann Mardenborough win Le Mans?
Jann Mardenborough did not win the 24 Hours of Le Mans; however, he achieved a notable third-place finish in the LMP2 class during his debut at the prestigious race in 2013. He was on the Greaves Motorsport team, driving a Zytek Z11SN/Nissan alongside Lucas Ordóñez and Michael Krumm.
Initially, Jann Mardenborough's team finished fourth in the LMP2 class. However, a post-race inspection revealed that one of the cars that finished ahead of them had violated regulations. As a result, Mardenborough and his teammates were promoted to third place.
Source: Facebook
Where is Jann Mardenborough now?
Jann Mardenborough is active in professional racing and has participated in several racing events. In June 2024, he competed and won the Pro-Am class and the overall podium finish in the Silverstone 500 round of the 2024 British GT Championship, driving the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo of Team RJN.
Who is Gran Turismo movie based on?
The film is based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Turismo player. Jann's gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.
While Gran Turismo is indeed based on a true story, it incorporates significant changes to create a compelling narrative. The film captures the spirit of Jann Mardenborough's journey while highlighting its complexities in an engaging cinematic experience. Ultimately, audiences are left to ponder: Is Gran Turismo a true story?
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Source: Briefly News
