If you’re unfamiliar with the video games, then the first thing that comes to mind when you hear about Uncharted is probably the Indiana Jones franchise.
An A-list movie star with a huge fanbase headlines a globetrotting adventure that involves mysterious MacGuffins, hidden treasure, dangerous adversaries with nefarious intentions, action-packed escapades and a witty one-liner or two. However, director Ruben Fleischer is comparing the blockbuster to a more modern project that occupies similar territory.
In an interview with Uproxx, the filmmaker explained that he wanted to bring an old fashioned sense of fun to Uncharted, in the process reviving a subgenre that’s been lying almost completely dormant since Nicolas Cage last went on the hunt for ancient artifacts in National Treasure.
“Well, my point being is that it’s a genre that they just don’t make that much anymore. So, I approach this more as somebody who got to make a treasure-hunting, globe-trotting adventure, more than a video game adaptation. And while it was based on a game that, lucky for us, it was incredible source material with a great sense of humor and some of the best action set pieces in all of video games. But, at the end of the day, I knew I had to make a movie that would be entertaining for people, whether or not they’ve heard of the game or anybody else. I mean, National Treasure was, I think, the last one.”
It’s been fifteen years since National Treasure: Book of Secrets was released, and while the Disney Plus sequel series is gearing up to enter production, Uncharted is looking to fill that gap in the market. Unfortunately, reviews haven’t been too kind so far, so we’ll just have to wait and see if it ends up spawning any sequels.