Uncharted - the Movie

IAdventurer01

Well-known member
Yes, this is in the right section. Apparently the gears have already been spinning for a while working on an Uncharted movie.

Uncharted, as you probably well know, is an Indy-style game that puts Lucasarts' recent offerings to shame. Do you think that an Uncharted movie will do the same to Lucasfilm (read: be crazy better than KotCS) or will it suffer the videogame movie curse and be a complete disaster on the silver screen?
 

kongisking

Active member
Get Matt Damon to play Nathan, Spielberg to produce, and Gore Verbinski to direct, and everything will be fine.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
uncharted_2.jpg


IAdventurer01 said:
Yes, this is in the right section. Apparently the gears have already been spinning for a while working on an Uncharted movie.

You just wanted to be first, eh? It's been in pre-planning stages for at leat a year, and aside from Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer -- the cats behind Sahara -- taking over scriptwriting duties there isn't much worth talking about. The Los Angeles Times is reporting Sony is now looking for a director, but I expect many more names to be put into the hat.

In the end though, there really isn't anything to talk about. Yet. Though, I wonder if Uncharted would be best served by a new adventure rather than rehashing the events of Drake's Fortune. If that's the case, why not just use Amy Henniq's script from the game?

UDF%202.jpg


As you can see though, nobody appears to care.
 

RaideroftheArk

New member
kongisking said:
Get Matt Damon to play Nathan, Spielberg to produce, and Gore Verbinski to direct, and everything will be fine.

I would not want to see Matt Damon in this role. To this day I do not see him as an action star. I've watched the Bourne movies (or tried to watch since I couldn't tell what was going on in any action sequence for the last 2) and every time he takes me right out of them. He just seems like a kid playing secret agent. I know it's just me as everybody I know loves these movies.

Personally, I feel a younger Nathan Fillion would have been perfect for the role of Nathan Drake. I still think he could pull it off right now and give us a really great character, however, I'm not sure how he would be in pulling off the action sequences?
 

RedeemedChild

New member
I think that Chris Pine should be cast as Nathan Drake.

However I'm fiery excited about Uncharted getting a movie. I think all of this is a waste of time. Hollywood should shy away from game to film projects. Some games should simply remain games. If anything they should to see if Prince of Persia will be a success or failure.Furthermore some games are not actually worthy of film adaptions.

I think if anything Halo should be the next game to film project or Assassin's Creed or Kingdom Hearts but not Uncharted. I think titles like Uncharted, The Sims, Need For Speed and Call of Duty should remain games.

The games that should be adapted to film in my opinion are Kingdom Hearts, Halo, Monster Tale, Nitrome's Tiny Castle, Age of Empires, LOTR: The Third Age, Might and Magic and Viewtiful Joe.
 

kongisking

Active member
RaideroftheArk said:
I would not want to see Matt Damon in this role. To this day I do not see him as an action star. I've watched the Bourne movies (or tried to watch since I couldn't tell what was going on in any action sequence for the last 2) and every time he takes me right out of them. He just seems like a kid playing secret agent. I know it's just me as everybody I know loves these movies.

Personally, I feel a younger Nathan Fillion would have been perfect for the role of Nathan Drake. I still think he could pull it off right now and give us a really great character, however, I'm not sure how he would be in pulling off the action sequences?

Okay, then, hows about Patrick Dempsey? He certainly looks like Nate, IMO (aside from his nose and hairdo, but who cares about noses and hairdos?).

PatrickDempsey11_400.jpg


And he has the "charming ass" gig down cold. Just watch Enchanted.

Dammit! I just brought up Enchanted AGAIN! I'm obsessed! Someone erase my memories of that movie!
 
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RedeemedChild

New member
I do agree that Patrick Dempsey does look quite like Nathan Drake and I think he would be a good choice. However, who would produce the Uncharted movie and who would write, direct and produce it?

I think Steven Spielberg should co-direct Uncharted with Bryan Singer and have J.J. Abrams as the writer and producer.
 

WitAndAWhip

New member
Dempsey's kinda old isn't he? I think Drake is supposed to be mid-late 20's. And I definitely couldn't see Matt Damon in the role although Chris Pine might work. Honestly, it's tough for me to imagine anyone but Nolan North as the voice of Nathan Drake.

I'm not sure where I stand on an Uncharted movie in general. I think it's perfect as a game series, hopefully it'll always be that first and foremost.

Usually these "game to movie" transformations are forgettable at best. Some things are better left in their original form.
 

RedeemedChild

New member
WitAndAWhip said:
Dempsey's kinda old isn't he? I think Drake is supposed to be mid-late 20's...

I'm not sure where I stand on an Uncharted movie in general. I think it's perfect as a game series, hopefully it'll always be that first and foremost.

Usually these "game to movie" transformations are forgettable at best. Some things are better left in their original form.

Yes, I agree. I don't think that Uncharted should be a movie to be quite honest. However, if they do go forward with it then I'd rather see Patrick Dempsey cast as Nathan Drake as opposed to anyone else.
 

Ska

New member
http://movies.ign.com/articles/113/1134031p1.html

A new report online claims that writer-director David O. Russell has three big tough guy stars in mind for his game-to-film adaptation Uncharted.

Showbiz 411 columnist Roger Friedman claims that Max Payne himself, Mark Wahlberg, is Russell's choice to star as Nathan Drake. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise given that they've previously worked together on Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, and the upcoming The Fighter. (Sorry, Nathan Fillion. Fanboys, commence raging.)

But here's the real "Holy S*#!" part of the story. Showbiz 411 also claims that Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci of GoodFellas, Raging Bull and Casino fame are being wooed to reunite for the Sony film. (They've also been rumored to be re-teaming for Martin Scorsese's true crime drama The Irishman, which is a different project than the similarly titled one starring Ray Stevenson.)

sully-uncharted1_1289593186.jpg

deniro-showtime1_1289593316.jpg

Could Victor Sullivan be played by Robert De Niro?

"Russell didn't fork over any plot points at last night's premiere of The Fighter. But sources say the story will have something to do with antiquities dealers in New York," according to the site.

No word yet on who they'd play, but De Niro seems like a shoo-in to portray Drake's mentor and veteran treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan. But what about Pesci? Sound off in the Comments below about who you think Pesci could play and what you think of this casting buzz!
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Ska said:
http://movies.ign.com/articles/113/1134031p1.html

"Russell didn't fork over any plot points at last night's premiere of The Fighter. But sources say the story will have something to do with antiquities dealers in New York," according to the site.

This is the real problem with the proposal in my opinion. Sounds like David O. is angling to transplant the action to New York City. Why? Because Bob n' Jimmy are confined to the Isle of Manhattan? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and even if they were were using New York City as a "base of operations" it'd be irksome.

I'll comment on the inclusion of De Niro and Pesci should this version of Uncharted actually get the green light.

And I'll have to root around, but there's a quote somewhere about how David O. Russell didn't see anything to the game other than a character and a title.

If it continues in this direction, it sounds like a mess in the making.
 

Ska

New member
Adding to the mess...

http://movies.ign.com/articles/113/1137651p1.html

David O. Russell on his Drake's Fortune adaptation.
December 1, 2010
by Jim Vejvoda

The big screen version of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is starting to sound less like Raiders of the Lost Ark and more like National Treasure. Director David O. Russell says his upcoming game-to-film adaptation will focus on treasure-hunting hero Nathan Drake (to be played by Mark Wahlberg) -- as well as his extended family.

The writer-director, who said he is now halfway done with his script, told The Los Angeles Times, "This idea really turns me on that there's a family that's a force to be reckoned with in the world of international art and antiquities ... [a family] that deals with heads of state and heads of museums and metes out justice."

"We'll have the family dynamic, which we've done in a couple of movies now," said Russell, whose past films about dysfunctional familes include Flirting with Disaster and The Fighter. "And then you take that and put it on the bigger, more muscular stage of an international action picture, but also put all the character stuff in it. That's a really cool idea to me."

Russell also called the urgency of the Uncharted production, a high priority for Columbia Pictures who wants the film out sooner than later, "a locomotive."
 

kongisking

Active member
Whalberg could be cool, I guess...I'm waiting to see him in The Fighter to see if he can be a convincingly awesome ass-kicker.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Ska said:


I'll reiterate my earlier comment -- it's too early to be up in arms yet. All available signs don't look promising though. Yes, it sounds more and more like National Treasure, but more importantly, absolutely nothing like Uncharted. New York City isn't exactly off the grid.


I can safely say that if this version of events does make it to the silver screen, I will stay home; by then we should have Uncharted 3.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Game Informer has a lengthy interview with Naughty Dog's Creative Director, Amy Hennig. It's worth a read for fans of the game and the movie.

The direct movie related quotes are here.

Game Informer said:
Many game franchises, including Uncharted, are being translated into movies. Do you think this practice adds to the overall brand capital and awareness? Or do you think it creates a disconnect because of diverging storylines?

Well, I think that our audience is pretty sophisticated, actually. I think people get that it's a different medium and therefore it's a different interpretation. So I think that they can exist side by side and separate, and if they complement each other, that's all I think our viewers and our fans want. I don't think that anybody would agree that any sort of slavish interpretation in either direction, whether you're making a game based on a movie or a movie based on a game, is not the right way to go, because there's differences in our media that should be taken advantage of, right? I think that's why a lot of video game movies do fail, because they're trying to be too slavish and literal, not just taking an idea and making a good film out of it.
 

Morning Bell

New member
I love the games but something tells me the film will be poor. I hope I'm wrong on that but I'm not encouraged by what I've read so far.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Some semi-positive news regarding the hoopla around the eventual Uncharted movie. I would still take it with a grain of salt.


Justin Richmond said:
Just what was that puzzling David O'Russell quote, referencing a "family dynamic" in the Uncharted movie, all about, I asked Uncharted 3 game director Justin Richmond at a recent press event. He laughed. "First of all, all that stuff was denied by David O. Russell," Richmond said. "He actually called us up and was like, 'I don't know what these guys are talking about.'" And Mark Wahlberg isn't anywhere near to being confirmed to play Nathan Drake either -- it's just Hollywood scuttlebutt, apparently. Still, I dutifully told Richmond that the Joystiq Biomass had chosen, and Nathan Fillion has our vote. Message received, Richmond responded.

Full interview can be read over at Joystiq's site.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
Empire Mag recently caught up with David O. Russell, and put a few questions to him. The film adaptation of Uncharted came up briefly.

Check out the full chat here.

Empire Mag said:
What is the situation with your Uncharted movie script? It seems such a natural game to turn into a movie.

DOR: The game is very cinematic; there's no question about it. That's what I'm working on real hard and I'm writing it as we speak and I'm really excited to make it. I'd love Mark to be in it, I'd love Bob De Niro to be in it; I love the idea of growing them into a cinematic family; I think that's a really cool idea, but I guess you'll have to wait until you see the script
.

And:

What thoughts do you have about the love interest, Elena?

DOR: Ah, Elena. I've cultivated her quite a bit and I think I've added a lot of dimension to her so that's all I'm going to say. I love the woman characters and the more robust they are, the more robust the movie.

So despite the walk back by Amy Hennig and Justin Richmond, David O. Russell appears to be moving ahead with his National Treasure inspired fantasies.

All early indications continue to indicate a circling of the drain.
 

Le Saboteur

Active member
I ceased to read Lord Fatass' (y'know, Harry Knowles) site years ago. I was, however, drawn to it yesterday by the appearance of an interview between one of his contributors and David O. Russell, Hollywood's newest potential pariah. He discusses The Fighter and his upcoming adaption of Uncharted, and likens his version to a trio of art thieves meets The Sopranos!

David O. Russell said:
DOR: That is supposed to be my next project, and I’m very excited about making that happen. It’s been hard to finish the draft in the middle of awards season, but I’ll take that tradeoff any day, and I think the producers have been very understanding about that and how special this is. But I think I could make that that into a world that has a family dynamic in it akin to "The Sopranos" or akin to other worlds. See, people will take that, and they will misinterpret it, so I shouldn’t say that. There are all kinds of gamers out there…

Full interview can be read here.

Oh, and here's an interview from Slash Film where they hype up the National Treasure aspect of Russell's adaptation of Uncharted.

David O. Russell said:
My son plays most of the games in our house, and I will play them with him but I’m not hardcore. I’m not going to present myself as hardcore. But I played the game a bunch of times and I also read as much as I could about the game and I met the game’s creator, Amy Hennig, who’s really cool. I started to brew together what I thought could be a really cool idea that I’d never seen in a film before…Really intense action and really intense family dynamics on a global stage. To grow a game into a movie is an interesting proposition because a game is a very different experience than a movie. You guys are playing the game, and it’s about playing the game. It’s not about a narrative embracing you emotionally. You know what I’m saying? So, I want to create a world that is worthy of a really great film that people want to watch and rewatch, so that’s what I’m working on right now.

Full article can be read here. The author is saying he'll have the complete correspondence up in a couple of days.

And you can read a nice op-ed piece from Destructoid here.
 
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