Much like the iconic protagonist of its source material, Sony’s Uncharted has managed to escape a premature death by fiery train wreck explosion on its way to the Hollywood big screen. After several years, the video game adaptation of the PlayStation action-adventure series has finally been given a release date for Dec. 18, 2020, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That means the film will open against Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.
Uncharted has had a troubled production history up until this point, with multiple writers and directors attached to the project throughout the years including David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) and Shawn Levy (Stranger Things). Now, Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) is set to direct and Tom Holland is set to star, which points to good signs for the completion of the upcoming film.


The acclaimed Uncharted games are much like modern day Indiana Jones adventures. Each installment follows the charming treasure hunter Nathan Drake as he attempts to track down items or locations of legend, such as Shambhala. The series gameplay should translate to an adrenaline-pumping cinematic experience as Nathan often finds himself shooting, running, climbing, and leaping his way out of intense scenarios, usually with a well-timed wisecrack.
These adventures mainly follow Nathan Drake as an older adult, so it will be interesting to see how Tom Holland tackles playing a younger version of the character; as shown in his portrayal of Spider-Man, he certainly has the athleticism and humor for the role. Holland’s age doesn’t betray the narrative told by Uncharted developer Naughty Dog as the series reveals that Nathan Drake has been going on world-traveling quests since he was a kid. Here, just as with his later escapades, he’s usually accompanied by his mentor and friend Victor Sullivan. This pivotal character has yet to be cast.
It will also be interesting to see how Trachtenberg attempts crafting what could be a new and exciting blockbuster franchise. Since a younger version of the protagonist stars, the story possibilities are opened up as the director doesn’t have to go for a straight adaptation of one of the Uncharted installments. Trachtenberg has also shown to be a fan of video games, which provides faith for the film; in 2011 he directed a short film titled Portal: No Escape based on the Portal game series.

If you’re interested but unfamiliar with Uncharted you’ll definitely have time to catch up with the series. The games are available on both the PS3 and PS4 consoles. For those that have been with Nathan Drake all this time, you won’t have to wait too much longer to see another one of his quests when Uncharted is released late next year.