‘Gran Turismo’ is a biographical sports drama film that tells the incredible true story of a group of underdogs who risk everything to compete in one of the most competitive sports in the world. It is based on the same name racing simulation video game series created by Polyphony Digital. Archie Madekwe plays Jann Mardenborough in the Neill Blomkamp-directed film, a young adolescent ‘Gran Turismo’ player who uses his gaming prowess to triumph in several Nissan competitions.
Jann somehow manages to do the inconceivable — turn into a real-life professional racing driver — thanks to his gaming abilities. Along with Madekwe, the drama movie also stars some other well-known actors from Hollywood, such as David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou. Viewers are certain to question where “Gran Turismo” was truly shot given the multi-national plot and backdrop of many racetracks. If you are a person who is naturally curious, we have you covered!
Gran Turismo Filming Locations
Budapest, Mogyoród, Dubai, and Spielberg are the precise locations where the movie “Gran Turismo” was filmed in Hungary, the United Arab Emirates, and Austria. According to rumours, the biopic’s principal photography started in November 2022 and ended in December of the same year. Let’s move right forward and explore each of the various sites that are featured in the sports film.
Budapest, Hungary
The Hungarian capital of Budapest served as the location for a major section of “Gran Turismo.” It appears to have served as Tokyo in a number of significant sequences. The movie showcases a variety of sports cars against the backdrop of Budapest, including a Lamborghini Huracan GT3, a Corvette C8.R GT3, and a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3. You could recognise the Buda Castle, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and Heroes’ Square as well as other well-known local sights from the film. Budapest has produced a variety of films and TV shows throughout the years, including “The Man with the Iron Heart,” “The Billion Dollar Code,” and “FBI: International,” in addition to “Gran Turismo.”
Mogyoród, Hungary
In Hungary’s Pest County, in the small, traditional village of Mogyoród, the manufacture reportedly began. According to reports, the filming crew for “Gran Turismo” specifically used the grounds of the Hungaroring at Mogyoród, Hungaroring utca 10, to replicate the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. The Hungaroring, a 4,381 km motorsport racecourse, was built in 1986 and hosted the first Formula One Grand Prix held behind the Iron Curtain there. Given the track’s prominence and historical background, it made a good location for a movie like “Gran Turismo.”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Additionally, some significant scenes for “Gran Turismo” were recorded in and around Dubai, which serves as both the capital of the Emirate of Dubai and the city with the highest population in the United Arab Emirates. One of the key filming locations for the Orlando Bloom starrer was Dubai Autodrome, which is located on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road in Dubailand. It is a 5,390 km long motorsports track that debuted in October 2004 and is FIA-sanctioned. The circuit is qualified to host a Formula One race because it holds an FIA Grade 1 licence.
Spielberg, Austria
The ‘Gran Turismo’ production crew also visited the city of Spielberg for filming. Spielberg is home to the renowned Red Bull Ring, which is located in the Bezirk Murtal in Styria, Austria, and which is prominently featured in numerous sequences throughout the sports drama film. It is a motorsport race course that has 18 continuous years of hosting the Austrian Grand Prix. It is situated at Red Bull Ring Strasse 1 in Spielberg. Later, it was renovated and given the new name of the A1-Ring to host the Austrian Grand Prix once more. In 2011, the circuit was restored after some of its components were destroyed.
