When Mark Wahlberg revealed he'd be playing Nathan Drake in David O. Russell's upcoming film adaptation of Naughty Dog's Uncharted, he caused quite a stir. He even stated Russell was writing characters into the film for Hollywood heavies Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro, as Drake family members that never appeared in the games.
So what is this crazy Uncharted movie all about? As Russell explains to the LA Times, it's all about family.
"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 antiques," he says, "[a family] that deals with the 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," he continues. "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 for me."
Cool idea or not, it doesn't exactly jive with what gamers know of the Uncharted universe, at least based on the two PlayStation 3 titles. In fact, it's such a vague plot that it could probably apply to any film, one not even attached to the Uncharted IP. You have to wonder what it is about the games and characters that attracted Russell to the project if he intends to stray so wildly from the source material.
The producers hope to start shooting the film next summer, which would make a 2012 release likely. But like with most things in Hollywood, projects can go South with as little as a single phone call, so don't get your panties in a bunch -- or your hopes up -- just yet.
'Drake's Fortune' director David O. Russell: Movie will be about family of thieves and global power players [LA Times via Flixist]
Contest:
3:00 PM on 12.02.2010 | 
Anyways I dont really have much interest in an Uncharted version of The Incredibles, thank you.
I mean, Nathan Drake is the new Indiana Jones. I want to see some epic adventure, some cool one liners and over the top action. Things that actually made Indiana Jones and Uncharted a cool movie and a cool game. Not some family bullshit going all emo. -.-
Also, there is no spoon. It was all a dream.
Humm. sounds like Uncharted alright.
I still wonder why California hasn't listed all of them as mentally handicapped.
Now I hear that Nathan Fillion isn't playing Drake and the whole movie is going to be a kiddie galore crapfest like national treasure.
sadface :(
This is going to be some awful bastardization of Indiana Jones and National Treasure, isn't it?
Great waste of cash.
</sarcasm>
Now, the gameplay was top-notch, for sure, but you can't exactly translate that to film. So really, the only thing they should be trying to replicate is Nathan Drake's character and the stellar dialog. Everything else -- while great for a game -- wouldn't make for a very good movie.
Wahlberg and Russell have done a great job of alienating the franchise's audience before the film has even been put into production.
Now THAT I'd watch.
Do they deliberatley do this?
Also Marky Mark should NOT be Drake! He is in a few good movies but his acting ability is worse than Keanu Reeves. Nolan North could have really done it. With all the make-up techniques around these days it would have been easy to shave a few years off of him.
I'll still watch it and try to keep my 'dumb cap' on so I can enjoy it.
This is a good way to sum up Hollywood. You could easily replace "games" and "Russel" with anything else. I just assumed awhile ago that they ran out of ideas.
ATTN: DAVE RUSSELL: Do kindly fuck off.
what a dick