Uncharted, the movie adaptation of the blockbuster videogame series, has been in development for years. Despite multiple bumps in the road – and currently being director-less – it's meant to be hitting our screens in 2020. Here's everything you need to know so far.
What is Uncharted?
The Uncharted series is a globe-trotting, loot-hunting set of Playstation games, blending Indiana Jones-style adventuring with several parts Tomb Raider and just a dash of National Treasure. Its hero is Nathan Drake (voiced by Nolan North), who undertakes action-packed trips to the likes of El Dorado, Shambala and the Iram of the Pillars, quipping many a quip and shooting many a henchman along the way. For years the internet was of one voice in its desperation for Nathan Fillion to play Drake onscreen.
Why hasn't there been an Uncharted film already?
Two words: development hell. A decade ago, David O Russell was interested in making a film version, and had Mark Wahlberg attached to star. Russell was planning what sounded like a very loose adaptation, ditching the first screenplay draft by Sahara writers Josh Oppenheimer and Dean Donnelly. His vision was based around "a family that's a force to be reckoned with in the world of international art and antiquities. They deal with heads of state and heads of museums and mete out justice." Russell would have turned Drake's mentor Victor "Sully" Sullivan into his father, and added an uncle: a double-act he was hoping Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci would play.
That version was dead by May 2011. New screenplays were written by Kyle Ward, David Guggenheim, Mark Boal, and National Treasure writers Cormac and Marianne Wibberley. Neil Burger considered directing before departing for Divergent. Seth Gordon signed on to direct in May 2014, but moved on a year later. Joe Carnahan took a crack at a rewrite in 2016, which Shawn Levy was going to direct, but didn't. Now read on...
Who is directing the Uncharted movie?
At present, nobody – the project is currently looking for someone to take the reins. The most recent filmmaker to be attached to the project was Dan Trachtenberg, who made his feature debut with 10 Cloverfield Lane, going on to direct the 'Playtest' episode of Black Mirror (the VR horror one), and the opening episode of Amazon's The Boys. Nine months after joining Uncharted, he exited the project – joining the likes of David O. Russell, Joe Carnahan and Shawn Levy as people who have previously been in the director's chair.
Who is starring in the Uncharted movie?
The current Nathan Drake is the recent and future Spider-Man, Tom Holland. No other cast has been announced, although Brian Cranston has been rumoured for Sully.
Who wrote the Uncharted movie?
Carnahan still seems to have a screenplay credit, but he now shares it with Rafe Judkins, a veteran of Hemlock Grove and Agents of SHIELD.
What is the Uncharted movie's story?
Like 2018's Tomb Raider, the new idea is to frame the story as a prequel to the games' normal timeline; Holland obviously makes for a much younger Drake. The inspiration is a sequence in the third game that followed the Drake as a young thief and his first encounter with professional rogue Sullivan.
When is the Uncharted movie released?
The date currently on the books is 18 December 2020 – but meeting that date will require a new filmmaker to enter the frame sharpish.
What about Nathan Fillion?
Stop going on about Nathan Fillion...
...
...Oh alright then, if you insist. Fillion and director Nathan Ungar shot an unofficial Uncharted fan film in the summer of 2018. Stephen Lang turned out to play Sully. This is probably not going anywhere further, although Ungar says he's had "some emails" about doing a web series.