This post was originally published on here
Hollywood has spent decades adapting video games for the screen, and those efforts have only increased in recent years as games themselves have evolved to become much more cinematic experiences. With all the advancements in technology, many AAA games are essentially interactive big-budget tentpoles, impressing players with exciting set pieces and awards-worthy performances. With an emphasis on narrative and character development, today’s games lend themselves very well to the film and TV mediums. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to get a video game adaptation off the ground. Just as the case with any project, some video game movies linger in development hell before hitting the big screen.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Case in point: Uncharted, the film version of Naughty Dog’s acclaimed action/adventure franchise. A big-screen adaptation of the games had been in the works since 2008 (one year after the first game, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was released), but the movie didn’t come out until February 18, 2022. Despite taking such a long and winding road to theaters, Uncharted turned out better than most people expected, and it’s still due for a follow-up.
Uncharted Turned Out Better Than Expected After Delays
It’s easy to see why Sony was so interested in quickly turning Uncharted into a movie. While the comparisons to Tomb Raider wrote themselves (“Dude Raider” was a common joke at the time), Drake’s Fortune heavily drew from cinematic influences like the Indiana Jones franchise and National Treasure. It was cut from the same cloth as those movies, telling a globetrotting, pulpy adventure story about a hunt for valuable treasure. Drake’s Fortune earned widely positive reviews and sold very well, demonstrating there was a sizable audience for the burgeoning IP. As Naughty Dog started developing sequels to the game, a film adaptation seemed like the natural next step.
However, while new Uncharted games came out at a great pace (the five franchise installments were all released over the course of a decade), the movie wasn’t as lucky. It cycled through multiple filmmakers, with numerous writers and directors (including Oscar nominee David O. Russell) becoming attached at various points. The Uncharted film finally made meaningful headway in 2020, when Zombieland and Venom helmsman Ruben Fleischer signed on to direct. Uncharted had been in development for so long that Mark Wahlberg, who was originally eyed to play Nathan Drake, ended up playing mentor figure Victor Sullivan. Tom Holland was cast as Drake, and Uncharted finally started rolling cameras in March 2020, but it was subject to further delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If a film spends an unusually long amount of time in development hell and has a complicated path to the big screen, it typically isn’t a great omen. However, Uncharted was able overcome these hurdles and ended up being better than anticipated. While some fans felt Holland wasn’t necessarily the best fit for a young Nathan Drake, Uncharted excels at capturing the tone and spirit of its influences. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to action/adventure movies, but part of its appeal is how reminiscent it is of those classic titles of yesteryear. Uncharted filled a void in the Hollywood marketplace. At the time it released, moviegoers were still waiting for the fifth Indiana Jones movie, and National Treasure 3 is still nowhere in sight. There was a demand for this kind of film.
Uncharted admittedly didn’t receive universal acclaim (41% on Rotten Tomatoes), but the end result is stronger than what the word of mouth might indicate. Holland and Wahlberg have great chemistry with each other, trading wits and quips as they flesh out an entertaining student/teacher dynamic. It’s different when compared to the games (where both characters are older and more experienced), but the relationship still works for the purposes of the film, which was designed to be more of a prequel story. Additionally, Uncharted features all of the humor and spectacle (including set pieces pulled right from the games) adventure movie fans have come to expect, making it a fun watch even if it can be a bit derivative at times. Video game movies are not known for being critical darlings, so the fact Uncharted didn’t turn out to be a train wreck is impressive.
Uncharted Fans Are Still Waiting for the Movie Sequel
Despite the mixed reviews, Uncharted was a box office hit. It grossed $407.1 million worldwide, good enough to make it the 13th highest-grossing film globally in 2022. That kind of commercial performance illustrated that Sony hadn’t missed the boat when it came to bringing Uncharted to the big screen. Though there hasn’t been a new Uncharted game since 2017 (and Naughty Dog appears to be done with the franchise, moving its attention to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet), there was still a sizable audience for the film during a time when theaters were still in the process of recovering from the pandemic. It speaks to Uncharted‘s enduring legacy as one of PlayStation’s signature properties. Sony didn’t strike when the iron was hot, but it didn’t matter because the games still resonate with players.
Unsurprisingly, Sony was game to produce follow-ups to the movie. In the summer of 2022, studio CEO Tom Rothman called Uncharted a “franchise,” and expressed interest in sequels starring Holland. However, four years later, Uncharted 2 still has not moved forward. Things have been progressing very slowly on that front; in 2024, Wahlberg shared that a script had been completed, but there’s still no indication when the sequel will begin production. With no release date or production timeline locked down, Uncharted 2 seems destined to suffer the same fate as its predecessor and linger in development hell — even though it’s now proven it can be a hit film franchise.
There are some plausible explanations for why it’s taking so long to get Uncharted 2 off the ground. Holland has kept himself busy; since Uncharted released, he’s appeared in the TV series The Crowded Room and added two major blockbusters to his resume in The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Uncharted 2 can’t happen without him, so the sequel depends on Holland’s availability. In the meantime, the creative team is taking its time to ensure everything is in place with the script, which should only benefit the film long-term. It’s always better to be patient as opposed to rushing something for the sake of making a quick buck.
When looking back at the development of the first Uncharted movie, there are some fascinating “what ifs” to consider. Among the directors attached were Travis Knight and Dan Trachtenberg, both of whom now have reputations of putting creative spins on established IP. It’ll be interesting to see if Sony attempts to reconnect with one of them or another filmmaker to helm the sequel. Fleischer did a solid job with Uncharted and has earned the right to come back if he wants, but there’s also a case to be made that action/adventure series can benefit from different creative voices to keep things fresh. If Uncharted is to be a viable franchise for Sony for years to come, it wouldn’t hurt to inject some fresh blood, perhaps leading to even stronger results.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
