Tom Holland's version of Nathan Drake for the upcoming Uncharted movie looks completely different than the video game counterpart, and that's a good thing. The Sony film has given the public its first look at the 24-year-old actor in character for the movie set to release in July 2021. Based on the popular adventure games by Naughty Dog, Ruben Fleischer is set to direct the adaptation (after losing six previous directors) that also stars Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, and Sophia Taylor Ali.
The video game series launched in 2007 with the release of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. It followed an expert treasure hunter who was a supposed descendant of the historic explorer, Sir Francis Drake. Nolan North notably voiced the lead character as he traveled the globes to uncover some of the world's biggest mysteries. To date, nine titles have been released in the video game franchise, including a multi-game collection, mobile game, and an expansion story. Interest in developing an Uncharted movie first began in 2008, but it took nearly a decade before production truly ramped up.
During the early development stages, Chris Pratt and Mark Wahlberg were linked to the role of an adult Nathan Drake. In 2017, Holland was officially cast in the role while Wahlberg was cast as Nathan's mentor and father figure, Victor Sullivan. Based on Sony's history with Holland due to his portrayal of Spider-Man, the actor seemed like a viable choice. Some diehard fans of the Uncharted video games, however, were quick to criticize the casting, considering Holland to be an underwhelming choice. Not only was he deemed too young to play Drake by a segment of the public, but others thought he was too small to be the skilled adventurer. While comparisons to North's version of Drake were inevitable, the Uncharted film isn't a direct adaptation. Instead, the movie will serve as a prequel, drawing inspiration from Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Based on the story direction, Holland's changes to Drake's look could be a huge payoff for the adaptation.
A Prequel Gives Sony's Version Of Nathan Drake More Room To Grow
Whether or not Holland is deemed "wrong" for the role, it's important to remember that the Uncharted movie isn't meant to be a direct live-action interpretation of the video games. While Holland seems to share characteristics of Drake, including his attire, the prequel should avoid comparisons to North's game character. Sony isn't intending to make a movie straight out of Naughty Dog's gameplay because doing so could make Drake look like a caricature.
Instead, Uncharted will tell an origin story that fans haven't seen before with a character they're semi-familiar with. A prequel allows Drake to develop and grow free from creative restraints. Rather than directly compete with the Uncharted games, Sony is attempting to build something that mainstream moviegoers can enjoy with an actor with a ton of potential. Holland already has a loyal following thanks to the MCU, but guiding Uncharted into new territory will be one of his biggest tests.
