Director David O. Russell Talks Uncharted Movie Adaptation!

Director David O. Russell Talks Uncharted Movie Adaptation!

The director talks briefly about how work is progressing on the adaptation of the bestselling video game series but worryingly describes some major changes he plans on making from the source material...

By JoshWilding - Dec 01, 2010 12:12 PM EST
Filed Under: Video Games
Source: LA Times

Although the majority of video game to movie adaptations have so far been pretty awful, fans of the brilliant Uncharted series of Playstation 3 exclusive video games have had high hopes for the movie adaptation since it was first announced that David O. Russell would direct. Despite some mixed reactions to the casting of Mark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake, fans might find themselves feeling a little less positive after recent comments made by Russel in an interview with The LA Times!

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As you might already know, game centers on Nathan Drake (a descendant of Sir Francis Drake) and his quest to find lost treasure on an island far from civilization. Russell however has revealed that he has plans on expanding the movie to include Drake's extended family - and put them in "fraught, globetrotting situations with some of the world's most influential people"!

"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.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."


Well, you can consider me very worried. While it's to be expected that changes would be made during the translation from video game to movie, this sounds nothing like the independent globe-trotting adventurer who travels the world acquiring artifacts and getting in trouble along the way! In fact, I'm now confident that this will have little in common with the video game character which as I'm sure fans of the series will agree, is a great pity.

"It's a locomotive," Russell said of the movie's progress. But is it on the right track? Be sure to share your thoughts on this news in the usual place!




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Scion
Scion - 12/1/2010, 12:37 PM
He is going to screw this up royally... and first!
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 12/1/2010, 12:39 PM
Of course they are, agreed!

Oh and... FISTER! : P
LucasMend
LucasMend - 12/1/2010, 12:49 PM
Damn if this movie is done right, will be KILLER!
Like the better and younger version of INDIANA JONES!
JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 12/1/2010, 12:52 PM
Oh man, I was really hoping they'd get this movie right but this sounds like utter crap. This movie will seemingly share nothing but the same name as the video games, because what this guy is describing is most definitely NOT Nathan Drake. Here's hoping Sony stop him from [frick]ing this up.
PeterGreyson
PeterGreyson - 12/1/2010, 12:54 PM
Im actually hearty broken about this.

well hopefully the uncharted 3 December 12th reveal rumor is true, I want something to look forward to.
Highball
Highball - 12/1/2010, 1:16 PM
Well you just might as well call it something else now cause it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the game now does it! I wasn't confident about Mark Walhberg being cast and this is stretching it too much for my tastes. Good thing the games hold their own.
P862010
P862010 - 12/1/2010, 1:18 PM
mark is stoic and monotone

drake is witty and sarcastic

yeah perfect casting

LOL
phoe1
phoe1 - 12/1/2010, 1:23 PM
the only thing they had to do is remake indiana jones and give the guy a different name...but oh no...lets put on some bs story that wasnt even part of the game...
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 12/1/2010, 1:32 PM
CAN YOU NAME ONE OR SEVERAL VIDEO GAME TURNED MOVIE ADAPTIONS THAT WERE REALLY GOOD IN 5 SECONDS....NOW........OK RIGHT NOW..............OK RIGHT NOW.......
adwelsh78
adwelsh78 - 12/1/2010, 1:39 PM
sorry i'm lost, i thought i was on a COMIC BOOK MOVIE site, how is this relevant to the comic book movie genre?
Dartheyegouger
Dartheyegouger - 12/1/2010, 2:02 PM
@adwelsh78

http://uncharted.wikia.com/wiki/Uncharted:_Eye_of_Indra
Scion
Scion - 12/1/2010, 2:06 PM
@Lucaxmen We already know it's not going to be done right so get that thought out of your head. As soon as they chose Wahlberg, the idea of a killer movie went right out the window.

I guess he's officially the video game movie killer too, thanks again Marky Mark!
BFGLOOM
BFGLOOM - 12/1/2010, 2:22 PM
Wtf is he talking about....? His pitch sounds like the thomas crown affair or some old jewel heist novel.....Lame.
Growler
Growler - 12/1/2010, 2:24 PM
Well the games were sort of a cross between Indiana Jones movies and Tomb Raider games so I suppose this is to be expected.

Personally, I think I'll stick with the games until the DVD hits the bargain bins.

I won't be disappointed that way.
Osiris
Osiris - 12/1/2010, 2:49 PM
Sounds like the mummy films, speaking od which back in his prime brendon fraiser could have made a good nathon, would still have loved to see filion in this role though.
Kyos
Kyos - 12/1/2010, 2:59 PM
That sounds like shit... as in "might end up being a good, fun movie, but why the [frick] call it Uncharted?"







...wait, Wahlberg IS cast?! Yeah, I'm out...
AlexDeLarge87
AlexDeLarge87 - 12/1/2010, 3:19 PM
I understand that they want to create a own story for the movie (It would be pretty dumb to just make one of the two games as the movie because they are kinda movies), but still... why add family? If it has something to do with the plot of this film im ok with it.

Im not sure what to think about Wahlberg yet?... How about Chris Evans?
richtea345
richtea345 - 12/1/2010, 3:59 PM
well, so far all it looks like things are turning up trumps for this. perhaps they will add nathan's love child that he didnt know about, or perhaps they will be fighting aliens??
wait a minute....
AskaniSon
AskaniSon - 12/1/2010, 5:55 PM
NOOOOOOOO! The games are practically movies already and, better yet, the universe of the games lends itself easily to more stories being told outside of games (Eye of Indra was entertaining), so why do this?

Mark Wahlberg as a witty everyman, and Nate Drake sharing a movie with his family? What family? *sigh* The easiest game to transfer to film, and it's already of to a bad start.
supertrackmonkey
supertrackmonkey - 12/1/2010, 5:57 PM
If this is true, they should change the name and the characters name and let someone else make a proper Uncharted movie.
Vital
Vital - 12/1/2010, 6:17 PM
The first two games had movie-like stories already, why wouldn't you make it like the game? This sounds nothing like Uncharted lol. They should rename it to something else so they don't get mobbed by fans for such a stupid idea. Nathan's family? When did this happen in the game? Sooooooooo [frick]ing retarded. Gah (I'm upset). That is worse than Marky Mark. I can handle him, but this new characters' plot point is beyond dumb. This isn't National Treasure: My Kids Take Over My Job, this is Uncharted.
Gunslinger
Gunslinger - 12/1/2010, 6:31 PM
Epic Fail.
GrayFox1025
GrayFox1025 - 12/1/2010, 6:46 PM
seriously what the [frick]!!!!!!!!! why cant people EVER stay true to the source material and be faithful in preserving the characters the way they were first intended. Im all for directors using their creativity to influence the movies like what was done with watchmen and kick-ass (both of which, to me, are the best comic book movie adaptations so far) but this is seriously ridiculous. Uncharted 1 and 2 were some of my favorite games and Nathan Drake is one of the best video game character ever created. He's like indiana Jones and Rick O'Connell (Brendan Frasier from The Mummy) into one character where he's bad ass but is relatable cuz he shows emotion and will yell "Oh Shit!" and run away from an incoming grenade rather than try to throw it back. Most action characters are the typical "cool guy who doesnt look at explosions" and has little emotion and goes into to each situation guns blazing. Nathan Drake however, is a sarcastic bastard who makes everything up as he goes and knows that he always gets himself way over his head with shitty situations. I was excited that this could be one of the few video game movies that would be good but after reading this i have every reason to know it will suck, not to mention marky mark as Nathan Drake, but i don't wanna get started with that whole fiasco.
HULK2099
HULK2099 - 12/1/2010, 7:16 PM
turns him on O.o WTF just a movie dude lol
mwmcintyre
mwmcintyre - 12/1/2010, 7:56 PM
Nathan Fillion for Nathan Drake or failure is imminent!
Gabe
Gabe - 12/1/2010, 7:58 PM
*sigh* this was supposed to be easier to adapt, not easier to screw up....
LOL
LOL - 12/1/2010, 8:38 PM
My choice for Nathan Drake that AIN'T Wahlberg:

Nolan North, the actual voice of Nathan Drake. Heck, the guy also acts as Nathan's mocap frame so he should have been a frigging shoe-in.
Illustration

Hugh Jackman (its a stretch, but I think he can handle it)
Illustration

Nathan Fillion (a fan favorite of most of us)
Illustration

Brendan Fraser ('bout time he had a good action movie again - but if Indiana Jones gets a reboot, I'd choose him as Harrison Ford's successor due to his Mummy movies)
Illustration

Joe Flanigan (nothing much to say about this guy, but he can snark with the best of them)
Illustration
Flop123
Flop123 - 12/1/2010, 9:26 PM
This is a no brainer, you have two of the best selling games EVER for the PS3 for a reason, the story's were great and entertaining for all of us. What is wrong with Hollywood. STICK TO THE STORY YOU HAVE! At this point,

Uncharted = EPIC FAIL!

P.S. Marky Mark isn't helping
Kyos
Kyos - 12/1/2010, 11:22 PM
This Flanigan dude with North's voice would be great! I said Nolan North should do it, not too sure about his non strictly voice acting though. But the combination of Russel's "ideas" with Wahlberg in the lead will just kill this...
Gregobi
Gregobi - 12/2/2010, 4:16 AM
family that's a force to be reckoned with???
IMO Drake was someone who everyone thought they could get away with taking the p*ss out of, always double crossing but he always came out on top ...
Scion
Scion - 12/2/2010, 1:01 PM
Funny how other than Sir Francis Drake, Nathan NEVER mentioned his tomb raiding family. I don't see how this can be properly made with this angle. This is going to be just another National Treasure 2 mess.

Video games that need to made into proper movies...

1. Uncharted
2. Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver
3. Broken Sword
4. Clock Tower
Spectre94
Spectre94 - 12/2/2010, 4:09 PM
@Scion Mass Effect and Splinter Cell could be good movies also
Scion
Scion - 12/2/2010, 10:08 PM
I'd kill for Splinter Cell. Very true.
Vital
Vital - 12/5/2010, 12:51 AM
Mass Effect movie would be a Halo movie killer lol.
Whiteharted
Whiteharted - 12/6/2010, 6:06 AM
THIS SUCKS!!!! [frick] THIS SHIT!!!! they are doing this family crap purely for names on a poster!!! [frick] THAT!! Just stick to the game FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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