If you are reading this, there is a good chance you have already seen Tom Holland take on the video game adventurer and treasure hunter Nathan Drake in the Uncharted movie. If that’s the case, then you are more than likely looking for more daring, dashing, and dangerous adventure movies and shows to watch while you wait for Sony Pictures to greenlight the sequel (which seems likelier than ever with the movie’s impressive opening weekend).
Worry not, because we have a whole treasure chest of movies and shows like Uncharted and you don’t need a special key, an old map, or a need to backstab your friends to enjoy them. On this journey you will find tales of hidden treasures, great on-screen pairings, and so many untrustworthy characters you won’t know who to trust.
National Treasure (Disney+)
In order to find the location of a legendary hidden treasure belonging to a group of secret societies — the Knights Templar, the Founding Fathers, and Freemasons — historian Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicolas Cage) steal one of the most heavily-guarded documents in the entire world: the Declaration of Independence. But he has to act fast as one of his former partners is trying to beat him to the prize through any means necessary.
If you are a fan of Uncharted’s treatment of historical figures and events, as well as sprawling narratives centered on hidden riches that may or may not exist, then National Treasure is perfect for you. By blending the elements of comedy, drama, and thrilling action, this fun-loving and fast-paced adventure story is fun that everything can enjoy. And with the Disney+ adaptation in the works, now’s a good time to familiarize yourself with the franchise.
Stream National Treasure on Disney+.
Rent/Buy National Treasure on Amazon.
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (Paramount+)
When a group of Nazis kidnaps his father in hopes of using his expertise and knowledge to find the location of the Holy Grail, professor and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) leaves the classroom and picks up his hat and whip one last time to save his dad and stop the group’s plan from coming to fruition.
The Uncharted video games took inspiration from the Indiana Jones movies more than any other franchise, and that love of the Harrison Ford-led series can be felt throughout the 2022 film adaptation. If you loved the sense of adventure, and the father-son relationship of Victor Sullivan and Nathan Drake, then you’ll get a kick out of the complicated bond shared by Indy and his father Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery) in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Stream Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on Amazon.
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (Paramount+)
The ABC series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles focuses less on the version of the character that led the film franchise (though Harrison Ford does appear in one episode) and instead shares stories from archaeologist’s young childhood and teenage years.
If you are a fan of the flashback sequence in Uncharted that shows Nathan Drake and his brother Sam break into a museum under the cover of night (which was a lot like sequences from the third and fourth games in the PlayStation exclusive game series), then you’ll love these short and sweet tales of youth, adventures, and youthful misadventures.
Stream The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles on Paramount+.
Buy The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles on Amazon.
Jungle Cruise (Disney+)
Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) and ship captain Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) set off into the heart of the Amazon to uncover the location of an ancient tree that purportedly contains miraculous healing abilities. But as the unlikely duo discovers in Jungle Cruise, things aren’t always as they first appear especially when it comes to a mysterious land placed under centuries-old curse.
There is the surface-level comparison between Uncharted and Jungle Cruise in that both center on adventurers locating a mythical McGuffin in a beautiful yet deadly location, but there are other characteristics shared by both movies. One of the biggest similarities is the idea that the characters never know who they can really trust, which make for a big guessing game for the viewer while watching their stories unfold.
Stream Jungle Cruise on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Jungle Cruise on Amazon.
Midnight Run (Peacock)
Bounty Hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) thinks he just scored the job of a lifetime when he agrees to track down Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Charles Grodin), who skipped bail after embezzling millions from his mafioso boss. Finding his target is no problem, getting him from New York City to Los Angeles, is a whole other story.
There is no treasure and there aren’t any elaborate puzzles in Midnight Run, but the 1988 buddy action comedy has more in common with Uncharted than you’d think. On one hand you have two reluctant partners who don’t really trust one another and will turn in an instant, and on the other, you have multiple groups of armed and dangerous men tracking them down from coast to coast. This “classic buddy dynamic” in Midnight Run is something Uncharted director Ruben Fleischer said he drew upon, in an interview with IndieWire.
Stream Midnight Run on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Midnight Run on Amazon.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (Disney+)
When his ship is stolen and a local dignitary is kidnapped by an undead crew of pirates, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) forms an uneasy alliance with a young Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) to the save the day and send the pirates back to a watery grave in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
There is a lot to enjoy with the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, especially for those who liked the pirate elements of Uncharted. This action-packed thrill ride of a good time perfectly blends comedy, action, and drama to tell one of the most engaging stories set on the high seas.
Stream Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl on Amazon.
Red Notice (Netflix)
After being framed for a massive heist he did not commit, FBI profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is left with no other option than to work with master criminal Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) if he wants to clear his name and prevent the actual thief from making off with the big prize (and glory).
One of the best Netflix movies, Red Notice is an outstandingly funny, sharp, and thrilling crime caper with double-crossing characters who will put a knife in their partner’s back at any given moment, which can also be said about Uncharted. Add in some great character interactions and heist planning sequences and you have the chef’s kiss of crime thrillers.
Romancing The Stone (HBO Max)
Romance-adventure novelist Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) finds herself in a situation not too unlike one of her books when she has to travel to Colombia to exchange a coveted treasure map for her kidnapped sister’s life. With the dashing yet egotistical Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas) at her side, Joan finds all kinds of adventure in the heart of the jungle.
Like Uncharted, Romancing the Stone has an ancient map (and massive treasure) at the heart of its story. By taking elements from multiple genres and centering the tale around a couple of strangers who just can’t seem to get along, Robert Zemeckis crafted one hell of a good time.
Stream Romancing the Stone on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Romancing the Stone on Amazon.
Armour Of God (Amazon Rental)
Armour of God is a Hong Kong action-adventure film that follows Jackie (Chan), a musician-turned-adventurer who specializes in locating long-lost treasures. But when a woman is kidnapped by.a group of cultists hellbent on finding and using a set of powerful armor, Jackie is forced to rise to the occasion.
If the high-flying stunts, bone-crushing fight sequences, and cat-and-mouse games of Uncharted resonated with you, then you’ll love Armour of God. Though it doesn’t get brought up as much as some of Jackie Chan’s best movies, this fun (and funny) action flick is a can’t miss.
Rent/Buy Armour of God on Amazon.
Sahara (Paramount+)
Upon learning that a missing Civil War battleship is not in America but in the Sahara Desert, adventurer Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) leads a small team to Northern Africa to find the long-lost warship. But as their journey unfolds, the fearless group uncovers something more sinister under all that sand.
Although it wasn’t well received and didn’t make all that much money at the box office, Sahara is a fun adventure film at its core. Sure, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel with the genre, but if you want more fun-loving action with a bunch of quips after finishing Uncharted, this is a good place to start.
Stream Sahara on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Sahara on Amazon
The Mummy (HBO Max)
Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) and adventurer Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) lead an expedition into ancient Egypt to uncover and open a tomb only to unleash an ancient curse that gives rise to unknown horrors.
A throwback to pulp classics of long ago, The Mummy is an extraordinary action movie that works so well because of its protagonists, just like Uncharted. This epic tale of adventure, discovery, and double-crossing “friends” is rousing good time and has fun with the campier supernatural elements. Maybe the Uncharted series will one day introduce similar supernatural elements from the video games someday soon.
Stream The Mummy on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy The Mummy on Amazon.
Each of these movies have at least one thing in common with Uncharted and either feature some of the same elements or tread the same ground. But before you start any of these action-adventure films, check out CinemaBlend’s breakdown of all the 2022 new movie releases.
