If you’re into video games at all, then you’ve probably heard of the popular series Uncharted. The Naughty Dog series, created by Amy Hennig, has about 10 games total, including spinoffs and collections, and has been around since 2007. An action-adventure story in a similar style to Indiana Jones, Uncharted is mainly available on PlayStation and follows the protagonist, Nathan Drake, an attractive, highly-skilled treasure hunter, as he travels the world in search of his next prize, finding plenty of trouble along the way.
A film adaptation of Uncharted has been in development for a long time now, with first talk of the movie happening all the way back in 2008, shortly after the first game premiered. For a while there, it looked like it was going to remain forever in development hell, but it’s finally almost here. For old fans of the video game series, or new people interested in venturing into this action-packed world for the first time, here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Uncharted film.
What is the release date of Uncharted?
Uncharted has had quite the journey to the big screen so far. Starting development in 2008, the film went through multiple different directors and writers over the years. The first fans heard of a release date was in 2014, when Sony announced that the movie would premiere in the summer of 2016.
It was then delayed to the next year, before getting a three-year delay to 2020 after director Travis Knight left the project, to eventually be replaced by Ruben Fleischer, who has previously directed movies like Zombieland and Venom. Of course, then we all know the sort of delays many projects faced as a result of COVID-19, Uncharted included.
To get to the point, Uncharted is finally set to arrive in theaters on February 18, 2022, in the United States. But if you happen to be in the United Kingdom, you can check out the movie a week earlier on February 11. Luckily for fans, it seems like this release date will stick, so feel free to start planning your trip to the movies soon.
Is there an Uncharted trailer?
Sony Pictures released the first official trailer for Uncharted on October 21, 2021. It provides the first major look at the upcoming adventure film, with treasure hunting and life-threatening risks galore.
The same day, Sony also released a behind-the-scenes look at the film, with stars Tom Holland and Marl Wahlberg introducing the story and discussing many dangerous stunts and beautiful locations to be featured in Uncharted.
Fans can also likely expect there to be a second trailer released at some point before the movie's premiere in February.
Who is in the cast of Uncharted?
As previously mentioned, Holland and Wahlberg are the two stars of Uncharted. Holland, who many probably know from his role as Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, in the newest Spider-Man films and the MCU, as well as plenty of other major films, plays the franchise's star, Nathan Drake, while Wahlberg, who has starred in movies like The Other Guys, Boogie Nights, and more, plays his mentor, Sully. Also in the new movie are Sophia Ali (The Wilds, Grey's Anatomy), Tati Gabrielle (The 100, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Antonia Banderas (The Mask of Zorro, Genius).
What is Uncharted based on?
For those who aren't familiar with the Uncharted franchise, the upcoming film adaptation is based on the extremely popular video game series about a young treasure hunter and his many death-defying adventures. The first video game, 2007's Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, introduces Nathan Drake as a supposed descendent of the historical adventurer Sir Francis Drake, searching for the treasure of El Dorado, a rumored kingdom of gold. A third-person perspective action game, the success of the first led to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves in 2009, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception in 2011, and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End as the latest in the main series in 2016. There have also been a few spinoffs and remastered versions. Of course, as such a profitable and acclaimed series, it's no surprise that Sony has been trying to make a film adaptation for so long. In fact, after being in development hell for so long, it's more surprising that the movie is actually being released. But hey, we're not complaining.
Who are the confirmed characters for Uncharted?
While it's possible that there are a few characters from the video games — or original creations for the movie — who will show up in Uncharted but haven't been revealed yet, the main group of characters have thankfully been confirmed.
Tom Holland is playing Nathan "Nate" Drake, a young man interested in traveling the world and hunting ancient treasure. He's highly adaptable and unafraid, making him the perfect hero for this adventure.
Co-leading the film is Mark Walhberg as Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Nate's older mentor who has been fortune hunting for a long while now. He develops a close, trusting relationship with Nate, becoming his father figure.
Sophia Ali is playing Chloe Frazer, another treasure hunter who travels with Nate throughout the film. In the video games, she has a romantic history with the protagonist, and it looks like she will also be his love interest in the movie version.
There isn't much information yet about the rest of the characters, although it's been revealed that Tati Gabrielle's character's name is Braddock, while Antonio Banderas is playing the movie's treasure hunting main antagonist.
What is the plot of Uncharted?
It looks like most of Uncharted will center on the beginning of Nate's story, with the entirety of the movie's plot taking place before the events of the first game, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. The film will serve as a prequel of sorts, showing the early development of both Nate as a treasure hunter, and in particular, his relationship with Sully, which is the emotional center of the video game franchise. In a way, it's also the story of how Sully becomes the mustached, weathered man fans know and love. As Nate and Sully search for the treasure, they face plenty of puzzles and other difficulties.
At the same time, Nate is looking for clues as to the whereabouts of his older brother, Samuel "Sam" Drake, a storyline that will possibly divert from the siblings' story in the game version. In the movie, Sam apparently disappears earlier while looking for the rumored treasure of explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who circumnavigated the world in the early 1500s — well, sort of. Magellan never really made it back home, as he was killed during his travels and some of his crew completed the journey instead.
Magellan is rumored to have found a lot of gold on the way, which will likely factor into the movie's story, as the book The Life of Ferdinand Magellan, and the First Circumnavigation of the Globe by Francis Henry Hill Guillemard is shown in one of the movie's official photos. Another possibly important fact to note is that Sir Francis Drake, Nate's supposed ancestor, circumnavigated the globe (completely) from 1577 to 1580, soon after Magellan's attempt. Only time will tell how the Uncharted movie will incorporate history and the video game's story into the adapted version.
When and where did Uncharted film?
After such a long delay for the movie, Uncharted finally started filming in the middle of March 2020. As you might've guessed, it didn't last long, and right after filming started, it had to be shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As such an international film, Sony planned to film around Europe. Uncharted production was able to start up again at the end of July 2020, following all safety protocols, with filming mainly taking place in Germany and Spain. Production for Uncharted finally finished up at the end of October, and it's likely now in post-production stages.