It’s been a while since we last heard about casting for the Gran Turismo movie, but more big names have been attached to the project according to Hollywood Reporter.
Headlining the new cast members is two-time Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou. Hounsou is probably most familiar to audiences as Korath the Pursuer in three MCU projects (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, What If..?) and the wizard Shazam in three DCEU movies (Shazam!, Black Adam, and the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods).
Geri Halliwell is better known as 20% of the Spice Girls, one of the best-selling pop groups of all time. Although her biggest film role to date is as a fictional version of herself in Spice World, she’s also played Karen Chelios — mother of a younger version of Jason Statham’s Chev Chelios — in Crank: High Voltage.
Although both have a loose connection to the automotive world — Hounsou through his role as Mose Jakande in Furious 7 and Halliwell through her marriage to Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner — it appears neither will have a driving role in the film.
Instead they’re set to play the characters of the mother and father of the un-named hero, played by Archie Madekwe (Voyagers, See).
In addition to Halliwell and Hounsou, three further actors have been cast in undisclosed roles. Daniel Puig (Naomi), Josha Stradowski (Wheel of Time, High Flyers), and Thomas Kretschmann (Central Intelligence, Avengers: Age of Ultron) will all have parts in the movie. IMDB also lists newcomer Bianca Bardoe as a “reporter”.
Gran Turismo will be based on a true story — seemingly that of 2011 GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough — of a young gamer who wins a competition staged by Nissan and becomes a professional racing driver.
Along with Madekwe, the cast will be led by David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow) as a racing mentor and Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean) as a marketing executive.
Filming is already underway, in Hungary, with a release due on August 11, 2023.
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