In 2007, the birth of Sony’s PlayStation 3 was accompanied by a plethora of quality exclusive titles, all of which were tailored to fit its dazzling new high-definition capabilities. In that collection of games, few remain as memorable, or marketable, as the gun-slinging, rope-swinging adventures brought on by their famed Uncharted series. Now, after years of anticipation, and an onslaught of different directors, a live-action Nathan Drake finally sees the light of day in the trailer for Sony’s Uncharted movie.
Tom Holland has naturally taken on the role of the classic franchise’s protagonist, as filmgoers have grown accustomed to seeing the actor swinging from one building to another as Spider-Man. Mere seconds in, Nathan is seen in his initial comfort zone, shaking drinks behind the bar, upon being met by his fellow fortune-seeker and father-figure in Sully, whose role is enacted by the inescapable Mark Wahlberg. Funnily enough, Wahlberg was initially intended to be cast as the protagonist himself in the long-gestating film, but things have clearly shifted after a decade of conversations. Of course, it wouldn’t be Uncharted without Chloe, Nathan’s witty love interest, who is played by Sophia Taylor Ali. The trailer goes on to recall a handful of moments from the actual series, like the deteriorating, mid-flight cargo plane from Drake’s Deception that Holland is seen dangling out of, as well as the same game’s rooftop chase at the start. Backed by Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On,” this high-octane footage also manages to showcase the series’ wryness, which makes it all the more worth looking forward to.
Ruben Fleischer, director of Zombieland and the first Venom film, looks to bring adventure gamers’ dreams to the big screen with this one, and this trailer is a solid start. At long last, Uncharted will be coming to theaters on February 18, 2022.
