There are few, if any, modern video games more cinematic or more deserving of a proper feature film adaptation than Uncharted. Sadly, bringing an Uncharted movie to fruition has been set to the "Crushing" difficulty with multiple behind-the-scenes changes and delays over the years. Now it looks like it might finally happen with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland on board to play a young Nathan Drake. Beating that film to the punch, though, was the recent brilliant Uncharted fan film starring dream casting favorite, Nathan Fillion. The director of the upcoming Tom Holland Uncharted film, Shawn Levy, responded to the fan film, saying:
Oh my God! Yes, absolutely a surprise! I found it direct very well, played just as well. Very funny. I liked it both as a fan of the game and of the franchise.
Like many of fans who have seen the short film, Shawn Levy seems to have really enjoyed what Nathan Fillion and director Allan Unger put together. Although Nathan Fillion teased something Uncharted-related in advance, it was a surprise to many of us that it was a fan film, and speaking with Bad Taste, Shawn Levy notes how well directed it and funny it was. As a fan of the video game franchise, the Real Steel and This is Where I Leave You director had to notice how the fan film perfectly captures the tone and look of the game, delivering a glimpse of what a feature length Uncharted movie could be, and doing so on an obviously smaller budget.
Obviously just the fact that Shawn Levy's film will follow a much younger Nathan Drake means that it will be fundamentally different than the Nathan Fillion fan film or even the games, but perhaps this will still inspire him in some way. Uncharted hasn't even begun filming yet and the director obviously has his own vision, but maybe the fan film gave him some ideas about things he wants to try that he didn't previously think of. At this point we still know very little about Shawn Levy's Uncharted other than Tom Holland will be playing Nathan Drake and that Sony has its eye on Bryan Cranston to play Sully. Presumably the film is still going off of the script written by former director on the project Joe Carnahan.
As to the future of the people's Nathan Drake, Nathan Fillion, it's too early to say. However there have apparently been feelers put out about the short film becoming a possible digital or TV series. If those of us preferring an Uncharted movie starring Nathan Fillion instead of the young Drake take with Tom Holland can't get that, a TV series of some sort sounds like a pretty great consolation prize.
Shawn Levy's Uncharted is still in the casting phase with no release date currently set. CinemaBlend will keep you updated on Uncharted as it develops and all your movie news. Check out our release schedule for all the biggest movies still to come this year.
