The film adaptation of Sony Computer Entertainment's popular racing game franchise "Gran Turismo" may have found its director.
Sony's film division is currently in negotiations with Joseph Kosinksi, director of "Oblivion" and "Tron: Legacy," to handle the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Talks about a "Gran Turismo" films began in 2013 as an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of racing-themed films such as the "Fast and the Furious" series. Back then, "Fifty Shades of Grey" producers Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti expressed their interest to re-tell the PlayStation game on the big screen, The Wrap has learned.
The two producers said they wanted to base the plot of the film on the story set by "Gran Turismo" game designer Kazunri Yamauchi. During Gamescon 2013, Yamauchi said the film will follow the story of how a gamer became a professional race car driver, according to IGN.
The game designer was inspired by the story of Lucas Ordonez, an MBA student from Spain who became a real-life racer after winning the 2008 GT Academy, a racing event organized by Sony, Nissan Europe and game studio Polyphony Digital.
However, it is still unclear if the upcoming "Gran Turismo" film will adopt the same plot envisioned by Yamauchi and drafted into a script by "Watchmen" screenwriter Alex Tse.
As part of the deal with Sony, Kosinski will reportedly work on a new script for the game's film adaptation.
There are no official news yet regarding who Sony wants to star in the film or when it will be released. But De Luca and Brunetti are still onboard to produce the project along with Elizabeth Cantillon, DeVon Franklin and Josh Bratman.
The first installment of the PlayStation-exclusive "Gran Turismo" series was first released in 1997. Since then, the franchise has produced five sequels. Its latest installment, "Gran Turismo 7," is scheduled for release either this year or in 2016.
