The Uncharted series has been trying to make its way to the big screen for a very long time. At one point, David O. Russell was attached to direct. The film has been lingering in development hell for so long that many thought the project was dead. Well, today’s news should prove of particular interest to fans of Nathan Drake and his globetrotting adventures.
Joe Carnahan has been announced as the newest screenwriter to tackle the film adaptation. Interestingly, Carnahan has only been announced as the screenwriter and not the director. That might have to do with his scheduling since he’s set up to direct Bad Boys 3. Regardless, Carnahan is a great choice for the property. His sense of crowd-pleasing adventure is present in his adaptation of The A-Team, but he also knows when to get serious as his film The Grey aptly displays.
It’s rewarding to hear that someone as talented as Carnahan (go watch Smokin’ Aces) is involved with a project that will have to do a lot of legwork in order to distance itself from Indiana Jones, the most obvious influence that the series draws from. Carnahan does wonders with over-the-top characters and scenarios (again, go watch Smokin’ Aces), so it’s doubtful that he’ll drop the ball on this one.
Things should really pick up once a director is announced. If scheduling changes happen – and the studio falls in love with Carnahan’s script – it’s still possible that Carnahan could direct. He’s made it clear that he’s a true fan of the series, so here’s hoping he remains an integral part of the process no matter what his eventual title(s) may be.
Will Uncharted be able to break away from the dreaded curse of video game adaptations? There’s plenty of engaging stories to tell with Nathan Drake, so let’s hope Carnahan can find a good one and do the franchise justice.
