The frequently-delayed movie adaptation of the popular PlayStation adventure series Uncharted is apparently underway once more. The film now has a script which could see the project begin shooting during spring in the US.
Screenwriter Joe Carnahan, whose credits include The A-Team, Smokin’ Aces and The Grey, posted a photo of the screenplay’s title page to his Instagram yesterday with a caption describing it as both “monstrously cool” and “a BEAST.” Carnahan was brought onto the troubled project back in July.
The project has seen many creatives come and go during its stay in development hell, including directors David O’Russell, Neil Burger and Seth Gordon before bringing on Shawn Levy (The Internship, Real Steel, Stranger Things). Levy indicated in November that he hoped to begin shooting in 2017 and the new script certainly paves the way for that.
The Uncharted franchise ranks among the most beloved gaming properties, among fans and critics alike. They walk the line between video game and action movie with aplomb, and an actual film would seem to be a logical extension of that. But what happens when you remove interactivity from Uncharted? Can it score a win where others, including the currently in-release Assassin’s Creed have failed? We also had Warcraft last year and that didn’t go very well either (unless you live in China where, apparently, it went very well indeed).
The law of averages dictates that, eventually, someone is going to make a video game adaptation that is also a truly great film. We really hope it’s this one because we don’t know if our hearts can take it if it’s anything less than spectacular.
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