Naman Shrestha
Based on the eponymous racing simulation video game series developed by Polyphony Digital, ‘Gran Turismo’ is a biographical sports drama movie that chronicles the inspiring and unbelievable true story of a team of underdogs who risk everything they’ve got and take on one of the most elite sports in the world. The Neill Blomkamp directorial stars Archie Madekwe as Jann Mardenborough, a young teenage ‘Gran Turismo’ player whose gaming skills help him win a series of Nissan competitions.
Jann’s gaming skills somehow helpes him achieve the impossible and unthinkable — become an actual professional racecar driver. Besides Madekwe, the drama film also features compelling onscreen performances from some of the big and popular names in Hollywood, including David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Darren Barnet, Emelia Hartford, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou. Given the globe-trotting storyline and the backdrop of several racetracks, the viewers are bound to wonder where ‘Gran Turismo’ was actually filmed.
Gran Turismo Filming Locations
‘Gran Turismo’ was filmed in Hungary, the United Arab Emirates, and Austria, specifically in Budapest, Mogyoród, Dubai, and Spielberg. As per reports, principal photography for the biopic commenced in November 2022 and wrapped up in about a month or so, in December of the same year. Now, let’s not waste any time and traverse through all the specific locations that make an appearance in the sports movie!
Budapest, Hungary
A significant portion of ‘Gran Turismo’ was lensed in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It seemingly doubled as Tokyo for several important scenes in the movie. The film features a number of different sports cars against the backdrop of Budapest, including a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, a Lamborghini Huracan GT3, and a Corvette C8.R GT3. Some of the notable local landmarks that you might spot in the movie are the Buda Castle, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the Heroes’ Square. Besides ‘Gran Turismo,’ Budapest has hosted the production of a number of film and TV projects over the years, such as ‘The Man with the Iron Heart,’ ‘The Billion Dollar Code,’ and ‘FBI: International.’
Mogyoród, Hungary
According to reports, the production was kicked off in the small traditional village of Mogyoród in Hungary’s Pest County. In particular, the filming unit of ‘Gran Turismo’ utilized the premise of the Hungaroring at Mogyoród, Hungaroring utca 10, reportedly, in order to depict the scenes set in the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. A 4,381 km motorsport racetrack, the Hungaroring was established in 1986, when it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Given the history of the track and its significance, it served as a suitable filming site for a film like ‘Gran Turismo.’
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Several key portions of ‘Gran Turismo’ were also taped in and around the city of Dubai, which is not only the most populous city in the UAE but also the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. Dubai Autodrome, which is situated on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road in Dubailand, Dubai, served as one of the prominent production locations for the Orlando Bloom starrer. It is a 5,390 km long FIA-sanctioned motorsports circuit that opened in October 2004. Since the circuit has FIA Grade 1 license, it is eligible to host a Formula One race.
Spielberg, Austria
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘Gran Turismo’ also traveled to the city of Spielberg. Situated in the Bezirk Murtal in Austria’s Styria, Spielberg is home to the world-famous Red Bull Ring, which features heavily in many scenes throughout the sports drama movie. It is a motorsport race track, located at Red Bull Ring Strasse 1 in Spielberg, which hosted the Austrian Grand Prix for 18 consecutive years. Later, it was rebuilt and renamed the A1-Ring to serve as the host of the Austrian Grand Prix yet again. When parts of the circuit were demolished, it was rebuilt and reopened in 2011.
Read More: Is Gran Turismo Based on a True Story?
