Gran Turismo director Neill Blomkamp has made a triumphant return to the film industry with his latest project, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story. Blomkamp, a South African filmmaker, merged his two passions – filmmaking and cars – to tell the unlikely true story of professional racing driver Jann Mardenborough. Portrayed by Archie Madekwe, Mardenborough turned his skills in the Gran Turismo video game into a successful racing career, winning the GT Academy in 2011 and earning the opportunity to drive for Nissan.
In recent years, there has been a growing audience fatigue towards VFX-heavy blockbusters, leading to a resurgence in the popularity of in-camera filmmaking. Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story was filmed with a focus on practical effects, but Blomkamp is quick to acknowledge the significant contributions of his VFX team. He states, “There was also a ton of VFX, and I don’t think that I should underplay how much VFX there was.”
Blomkamp first burst onto the scene in 2009 with his sci-fi feature, District 9, which received widespread acclaim and four Oscar nominations. Fans of the film have eagerly anticipated a sequel, known as District 10, and development seemed promising in 2021. However, Blomkamp reveals that he is currently hesitant about pursuing the sequel, stating, “I don’t know if I even want to make that right now, but at some point down the line, it’ll probably get made.”
During a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Blomkamp discusses the challenges of creating Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story, including the screening of an unfinished cut of the film and the use of practical effects to achieve realistic racing sequences. Blomkamp also shares his love for cars and admits that he never expected to direct a racing film. However, his passion for cars made it easy to translate that love into the movie.
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Blomkamp reveals that he was initially surprised by the true story behind Gran Turismo, as he was already familiar with the racing simulator game. After researching Jann Mardenborough and GT Academy, Blomkamp was amazed that he hadn’t known about this incredible journey. He recalls being a fan of the Nissan GT-R and having seen the famous Nurburgring crash online, not realizing it was connected to Mardenborough.
As someone with a genuine passion for cars, Blomkamp found it exciting to delve into the world of racing for Gran Turismo. While he describes himself as not being an avid racing fan, he dedicated time to learn about GT3 racing and Le Mans in order to make the film authentic.
The turnaround for Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story was remarkably quick for Blomkamp. He had initially sold Sony a different science-fiction film and only began working on this project in June 2022. The film was released in theaters just over a year later, in August 2023.
Blomkamp and actor David Harbour, who plays a role in the film, discuss their references and inspirations for Gran Turismo. Blomkamp mentions The Last Starfighter, a film that has been compared to Gran Turismo, and plans to rewatch it. Harbour references Hoosiers as his main inspiration for his character, highlighting the connection between sports films and Gran Turismo.
Blomkamp also reveals that he drew inspiration from real-world racing and films like Ford v Ferrari and Le Mans, but his focus was on creating a unique style for Gran Turismo. He prioritized shooting the film as realistically as possible, wanting the audience to feel the speed and intensity of the racing scenes. While there were significant VFX elements involved, Blomkamp emphasizes the use of practical effects to achieve that sense of realism.
In conclusion, Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story is a thrilling and authentic portrayal of professional racing. Blomkamp’s passion for cars and filmmaking shines through in the film, which merges practical effects and VFX to create a compelling and realistic experience for the audience. With his latest project, Blomkamp has once again proven himself as a talented and innovative filmmaker.
