The cast of Sony Pictures’ upcoming movie Gran Turismo, based on the hit video game series, has grown, with Djimon Hounsou and Gerri Halliwell-Horner set to join the film.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hounsou and Halliwell-Horner — who you might know better as Ginger Spice from her time in the hit musical group Spice Girls — are set to join the cast, as are Daniel Puig (The CW’s Naomi), Josha Stradowski (The Wheel of Time), and German actor Thomas Kretschman. The four actors will join the previously announced actors Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, David Harbour, and Archie Madekwe in the star-studded ensemble.
The duo of Hounsou and Halliwell-Horner will play the parents of a teenager (Madekwe) who partners with a retired driver (Harbour) to learn how to drive. The report notes that Puig will play the role of Madekwe’s brother, while Stradowski will play a rival driver. Kretschman will take on the role of Stradowski’s father in the film.
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The film adaptation will be directed by Neill Blomkamp from a screenplay written by co-executive producer Jason Hall and Zach Baylin. It is expected to follow the story of a teenager with racing aspirations as they enter a series of Nissan competitions en route to becoming an actual professional race car driver — a true story that the film is based on. Production is set to begin next week in Europe.
Gran Turismo will be produced by Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Doug Belgrad, and Dana Brunetti, with game creator Kazunori Yamauchi executive producing. The film is currently slated for an August 11, 2023, theatrical release.
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Originally released in 1997, the Gran Turismo franchise has gone on to become one of the most popular racing video game properties ever, known for its meticulous level of detail and realism. Gran Turismo 7 is the latest game in the franchise, releasing on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in March of this year. The game received high scores from the reviewing press and impressed fans with its attention to detail and its expansive gameplay options. It was criticized for the grind needed to get its vehicles, but Polyphony Digital has slowly been addressing those concerns.
