Gran Turismo: From Player to Racer, a Sony film inspired by the PlayStation game of the same name, hits theaters in August with the idea of not fully adapting the game, but rather telling a story that happened because of it. Based on real events, the movie actually revolves around a young man who, due to his skill in GT, had the opportunity to become a real-life racing driver.
When Sony announced the adaptation of Gran Turismo for the cinema, many wondered what exactly the film's story would be, as the game doesn't have any narrative that could be adapted. Soon, information emerged that the film would use the game's title but would be about the life of Jann Mardenborough, serving as a video game and motorsport movie.
Who is Jann Mardenborough?
Portrayed in the film by Archie Madekwe (Midsommar), Jann Mardenborough was a skilled Gran Turismo player, playing the game throughout his adolescence. Feeling that he was among the best Gran Turismo 5 players, Jann signed up for the GT Academy in 2011, at just 19 years old.
The event sponsored by Sony Interactive Entertainment and Nissan pitted the best Gran Turismo players against each other, with various prizes at stake. After a series of trials during the competition, the top players were chosen to race on real tracks, potentially securing a spot on the Nissan team.
Mardenborough stood out among his peers and took his joystick skills to the real world, becoming a real racing driver and competing in the 24 Hours of Dubai.
In an interview with The Guardian shortly after turning professional, the driver revealed that his passion for the game came from the opportunity to drive cars he would never have the chance to get close to. In a way, the video game provided Mardenborough with an experience he believed was unattainable in his life.
At just 21 years old, the driver managed to secure tenth place in the Toyota Racing Series, became the GP3 champion at the German Grand Prix in 2014, and finished third in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans competition. To this day, he works as a test driver, still participating in some races around the world.
Fact and fiction in the film
Mardenborough's story led to a Hollywood production directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9). Despite covering the driver's daily life and how the game changed his entire life, the film includes various fictional elements and characters that are based on people who were part of Jann's story.
An example of this is the character Danny Moore, portrayed by Orlando Bloom (The Lord of the Rings). A marketing executive at Nissan, Danny is shown as the man who conceived the GT Academy concept, but in reality, that was done by Darren Cox.
Cox had previously worked in the motorsport world, being part of the Renault team before joining Nissan, where he helped launch the real GT Academy. Other characters aren't named after real individuals but were inspired by figures who crossed paths with Mardenborough and left a mark on his career. An example of this is the character played by David Harbour (Stranger Things), who serves as a mentor to the young man in the film.
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