Neil Burger starting from scratch with Uncharted movie

by Richard Mitchell on Jul 19th 2011 2:27PM

Let's just move past the first draft of the Uncharted movie, shall we? We'll forget any jabs about a family of justice-dealing art thieves we might have prepared. We've no quarrel with former Uncharted director David O. Russell. We'll even put The Fighter in the ol' Joystiq DVD queue right now.

Now, having said that, Neil Burger seems to be on the right track with the new adaptation of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. The director told Collider that he's just signed on to the project, and is rewriting the whole script. Like all the best Burger art, he said it's being made "from scratch."

He added that he likes the game's characters, noting that he knows men like Nathan Drake (so do we), "guys that are living in a very different way and who are slightly hustlers or con-men." He also noted that he would pull as many of the big moments from the game as possible, so long as they "work into the film's story."

"I just think you have to make the best movie you can," said Burger, "Something like Indiana Jones was updating 1930′s B-movies." Yes, Neil. Yes.

[Thanks, Trevor]

Via: TotalFilm
Source: Collider

Tags: movies, neil-burger, playstation, ps3, Uncharted, Uncharted-1, Uncharted-Drakes-Fortune

Reader Comments (64)

Good.

Get rid of Wahlberg.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I guess you could say getting rid of Wahlberg has given Uncharted fans some...

*puts on sunglasses*

...good vibrations.

@The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross

God I want to downvote you so hard... But I just can't help myself, a + is coming your way!

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I like ole Marky Mark. I think most of the movies he's done are excellent. His role in the fighter & the departed were both top notch and the other guys was hilarious. He's had his share of duds (max Payne) but it's usually due to a flawed concept from the beginning opposed to bad acting. I thought they nailed it when they casted him as drake. He's funny enough to pull it off and there is a slight resemblance.

@Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell

he plays the same character in every movie.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

its pretty pathetic that you would want to downvote him for any reason at all really. "oh look he said something thats been overly said a million times, now i HAVE to upvote him"... PA--THE--TIC

can i has upvote too... look:

Nathon Fillon should play Drake.

(BAM that easy)

@PR0F3TA

Apparently not.

Everytime I see his name attached to this game I think Neil Hamburger is going to do voice work. Stop ruining my day by telling me it isnt him!

@Fire Walk With Me Dammit you just made me watch Tim and Eric for about half an hour.

@Fire Walk With Me LOL Neil Hamburger! Thanks...now I have to look up Youtube to watch some of his awesome vids.

Woah, I like this guy, someone give him a cookie

@Ashkental

right?! i have newfound excitement for this project!

So far this has winner written all over it...

Can we haz Nathen Fillion? Lol

So far I like what this guy is saying :)

Sounds promising, if we must have an Uncharted movie (I could do without one) this guy might be the right man for the job).

Just don't make the movie. Please don't ruin this gem of a game.

@Jay Z
why not?
tomb raider showed us, that videogame movies can be really good...didn't it?

@(Unverified)

no...literally nothing has shown us that videogame movies can be good, and i don't expect this to be any different. i saw "Limitless" the other day. what a load of shite that flick is.

@broken 4th wall
come on, postal was at least funny and prince of persia wasn't that bad either

Let's hope Burger turns this into a Happy Meal.

one would hope so....and do it right....dont wait til its damn near done and say "this aint gonna work...lets scrap it and burn the film then start over"....then it will be like the Spider-man 4/Now a Reboot fiasco...

Nice to hear some good news about this.After Capcom cancelling megaman legends 3 i needed it.

Hahahahahahahahahaha.... lol that was hilarious...+1 bro!

THIS GUY

Knows where it's at

No more Nathan Fillion talk. Please!

@(Unverified) No deal! Not casting Nathan Fillion in the Uncharted movie is like not casting Samuel L. Jackson in Snakes on a Plane.

@CamelCamelCamel Please, there are plenty of talented, witty and charming actors out there. None of them are Marky Mark, sure, but Nathan Fillon isn't the only qualified actor.

@SynthOno I realize in hindsight that I should clarify that Marky Mark really isn't witty or charming, and his talent is debatable, not that he's a class above those actors.

@SynthOno

Mark Boone Junior.

He is the only logical choice for Drake.

http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsB/26072-27713.gif

@(Unverified)
Why? Do you hate Nathan Fillion? Did he rape you as a child? Because if he did that's something you should brag about, not be ashamed of.

Sounds good, but I would warn him not to try to stick to closely to the script of the game, and instead go for the feel of it. Get the dialogue right and you’re halfway there. Take moments from the game, but also look to the good Indiana Jones movies for inspiration. I would love to see a film succeed where Crystal Skull failed, and Uncharted has a better chance than anyone else right now.

Good thing for you, Richard, that "The Fighter" is available on Netflix Instant Queue now. :-)

Nathan Fillion.

So does this actually mean that casting starts over or have contracts been signed?

C'mon Neil...get Nathan Fillion...

I have mixed feelings about this. You're taking a property (Uncharted) that in the world of video games works as it's own stand alone IP simply because the game mechanics are different than the works it pays homage to (Tomb Raider being the most obvious). Tomb Raider pays homage to Indiana Jones movie series, which itself was an homage to early serials and Uncharted certainly borrows liberally from both. Games featuring inherently different game mechanics can easily sway an audience to play it without too much "me too ism" tossed in, but once these games become movies, game mechanics no longer play a part. Now all you've got is plot, characters, action and set pieces which all will take on a "me too" quality. Lara, Drake and Jones are all after the same things. They all use guns. They all explore exotic locales. They all feature wise-cracking protagonists who smirk in the face of danger.

I'm not saying I'm against this movie, but the average moviegoer (or Xbox owner who doesn't own a PS3 or knows the franchise) may not be able to see beyond the "it's just like Tomb Raider with a guy...." or "It's just like Raiders but with a young guy".

@Milf Biggenson How is that any different from the games, which could be summarized as "like Indiana Jones, but a game"?

@Once known as Shadsy

I think what he's trying to say is: Uncharted is very appealing as a game that plays like Indiana Jones, but as a movie, it won't seem to stand out from the fold of treasure hunter movies to the average movie watcher.

@D4rk 0p3rative That makes more sense, thanks.

Sounds good.
If this movie takes off and they do the sequel, Among Thieves. How will they do that movie?
In the first game they are pretty much on one to two islands. In the second game, there are so many different settings and set pieces that they will be cutting a lot out.
Also Joystiq you don't have to wait for the DVD of The Fighter it is on instant watch :)

No offense to Nathan Fillion but isn't Drake a little more lean of a character profile?

@Misfit Toy

it's a great thing body weight isn't permanent

There is a god after all. YAY!!!

Mmmmmmmm Burger

Possibly the best news to come from this... Burger is aware of the Nathan Fillion cult and he likes that idea. He says he isn't going to look in to actors until the script is ready though.

THERE IS STILL HOPE!

based on the first one, huh?

Hopefully the movie isn't all hallways of enemies, "THERE HE IS!", "HE'S OVER THERE!", and jetski rides. Ugh.

Joystiq, that was a horrible article. Not ONE burger pun to be found. Please let Justin write all the Uncharted movie articles from now on please. Thank You.

j/k :P

@BLipp18

Not a pun, but still a good burger joke in there:

"Like all the best Burger art, he said it's being made 'from scratch.'"

I can't wait to see Shia Lebuf as Nathan Drake giving interviews about how he plays video games

Thank christ

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Uncharted: Drake's Fortune

Neil Burger starting from scratch with Uncharted movie

Reader Comments (64)

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:28PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:38PM The Joy of Painting w Bob Ross said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:28PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:29PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:50PM eat it said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:56PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:57PM Ospov said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:29PM Fire Walk With Me said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:45PM Once known as Shadsy said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:52PM Milf Biggenson said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:31PM Ashkental said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:08PM LENSconcept said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:31PM oolzie said

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Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:35PM jbs1018 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:35PM Jay Z said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:06PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 5:12PM broken 4th wall said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 9:00PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:37PM Pure Black World Tendency said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:37PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:37PM SgtDookie said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 5:55PM KGameLover1 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:39PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:39PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:54PM CamelCamelCamel said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:40PM SynthOno said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:42PM SynthOno said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:13PM Urethra Alfredo said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 6:27PM mcnichoj said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:40PM SpacePenguinBot said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:42PM ilduce620 said

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Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:49PM Vcize said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:49PM kentuckyfried said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:50PM Milf Biggenson said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:09PM Once known as Shadsy said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 8:32PM D4rk 0p3rative said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 8:42PM Once known as Shadsy said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 2:53PM Mika101 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:08PM Misfit Toy said

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Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:30PM liquidsoap89 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:39PM briscott said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:46PM BLipp18 said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 4:29PM chrisgrant said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:48PM eat it said

Posted: Jul 19th 2011 3:54PM DrDrew Pinsky said

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